Darkness! (part two of Gone trilogy)

I'll go first! Whats my character's name again?....Melinda! That's it! Anyway...


I supervised as one of the girls, maybe 8 or 9 kicked another in the stomach, kneed him in the gut, then flung him against the wall. The 11 year old boy lay on the floor, concious but not willing to get up.

"Well done, Mary. Alazar get up, or are you too afraid to have your ass whooped by a girl 3 years younger than you?" I asked, with a teasing smile on my face. 5 other children gathered around me asking questions.

"Melinda! Is my technique okay?"

"Melinda, don't be mad but... I think I popped John's shoulder again"

"Melinda, where's Payton? I'm hungry"

I sighed then went over to the first voice. Janice, one of the 12 year olds had asked me that question everyday.

"Yes Jan, your technique is fine", I replied as she punched Adam in the face then when he raised his fist to fight back spun before roundhouse kicking him in the chest, effiiently knocking the air out of him. I left as he lay gasping on the floor, knowing he would be fine.

"Jackie! You popped his shoulder AGAIN! This is like the third time! And Adam, come on grow some balls hit her back!", I said. Adam stood then limped toward me so I could fi his shoulder.

"I know it's gonna hurt. Do it fast.", he said. Two minutes and one yell later, he was massaging his shoulder, amost ready to get back in the fight.

I looked toward the final questioner, little Julie Mackuret.

"Jewels, Payton should be here soon, she and Edward were off spying on the Coates kids", I whispered softly into her ear. Spying on the Coates kids..yeah right, probably arguing somewhere. I often got in trouble for telling the kids this stuff but I hate secrets. Ever since Tyl...no he's doesn't even get a name. He'll be dead soon anyway.


I heard a loud thump and figured it was Payton and Edward.

"See she's here already!" I said to Julie. I turned with a slight smile on my face, expecting to see Payton her face blood angry and Edward, with a smug smile. What I truly did see blew my mind. Will Murphy was standing by the door of our makeshift dojo, twirling a pistol in his hand a slight smile on his face.

"Don'w worry, I'm not here to kill ypu, even though it would be so easy...anyway I'm here to make you a proposition", he said, evil thoughts most obviously filling his mind.

"Outside", I snapped. He turned and walked out, me following quickly. What was I getting myself into?

Will~

"Okay honey..." I said, using a trick I got from Tyler to piss her off as much as possible, "So word on the street says your brother Tyler ran away to Coates."
"Really Will, I'm not as fucking retarded as you think I am." She replied.
"Good, I'm glad we cleared that up. Anyhow... I come bearing a message from said Tyler, and that is... right here." I pulled out a piece of notebook paper and handed it to her. When she opened it up an interesting look appeared on her face. Memories are rich, but bad memories are priceless.
"What is this?" She asked, barely managing to keep her voice calm.
"It's a piece of notebook paper with something your dear brother wrote on it." I replied smirking. "I'd heed his request..." I added, starting to load my pistol.
"No." She replied.


Payton:
Edward and I had infiltrated Coates and were listening to conversations from behind a very thin wall. So far, things weren't looking too hot for the rich kids. We had waited for Will to leave, otherwise, it would have been impossible to enter the place.
"Edward, let's get out of here."
Once outside.
"They're almost out of food." Edward told me, he looked at the notes he took of the conversations, and then his battle plans. "Nobody there's going to last very long."
"They have lot's of super powers over there... we only have a few competent ones. But I predict some kids are going to come crawling to Perdido beach." I replied as we ran back down to the beach.
"You realise we're running out of food too. No one will eat any of the cabbage we pick from the fields, nobody likes canned vegetables, and noone will eat the mushrooms we find. We're killing ourselves."
"They'll eat them once we run out completely."
"Not necessarily. We have to get back to base, there's more pressing matters we have to discuss..." I drew out a piece of paper I stole from Coates.

*Ok guy's I Changed my character's profile he's a teleporter. *
Edward~

It's difficult to explain the rush and excitement teleportation. Edward could never tell someone what it feels like to jump just like someone who's been in many accidents could never explain to him what it's like to brake a bone, he's never broken one. So when Payton told him to go reporting to Jim (JOk I'm making you leader-hope you don't mind) Edward was more than eager to make the jump.

What happened next was instantaneous and natural to Ed like cutting on a lamp in a dark room and how the light immediately illuminates the room. One second Ed's at the beach with Payton. The next he's in a living room. The wind scar from his jump still whistled in the back ground and the natural effects of the sitting room (in this case pencils, books, tv remotes) scattered. Jim had a look of utter surprise on his face he still obviously wasn't used to Ed's spontaneous appearances yet.

"Hola!" Ed stepped toward Jim and dropped a stack of notes and some pictures Payton had drawn on Jim's lap. "That Payton, she's quite something. She's like a camera." Jim was still scanning the pictures so Ed went on. "Anyway, things are looking good at the power plant. I went ahead and checked up on them prior to the mission. They're in good shape-" Ed stopped. Jim had placed the pictures down and had his head in his hands. "Uh...hey cheer up Elmo" Jim looked at him.

"I can't believe things have gotten this bad...Ed we have EIGTH graders armed with machine guns."

"Well...we had to otherwise those Coates kids would-" he started to say but when he saw how meak Jim looked he couldn't finished.

Ed fidgeted. Jim was possibly they're best fighter-the best defense they had up against the Coates kids other than Melinda. Ed didn't even want to imagine what kind of chaos they'd be in if Will Murphy were to take control of things in Peridido. He looked at the scars on his hands. On his wrists. The horrors he'd been through at Coates under the control of Will was a painful memory, it made his hands ache. Ed put them in his pocket. If not for Jim he didn't know where he'd be if Jim and the others hadn't saved him. But if Jim was having doubts-

"Never mind. It's nothing, I'm just trying to wrap my mind around this still..." Jim said. He lifted up one of the photos. "This one-did this truly happen?" Ed knew it from memory. It was a picture of a parking lot at Coates academy drawn by Payton. There were notes scribbled on it.

"Yea, Payton insisted on taking a picture of it. Payton thinks there's something important missing-something's bothering her about it." Jim didn't answer. He continued to stare at it with a thin lipped grimace. Ed sighed. "I don't really get it. That girl is beyond my understanding," he said with some form of a slight smile.

After a long time staring at it Jim finally put the picture down. "Alright well if that's it you can go now."

Ed hesitated. "Are you sure? You're okay right?..."

"Yea," Jim said, his usual casual tone seeming to have returned.

"Bueno," Edward said and smiled then...he was in Melinda's Dojo,the familiar rushing noise he heard after every jump still in his ears. The scene before him he wasn't ready for. Ed rushed over to Adam, he like many of the other students of Melinda's was crumpled on the floor their faces masked in pain.

"Adam! what happened here?"

Adam didn't even have to get the words out. Ed already knew what he was going to say. He connected the dots. The thing missing in the photo that Payton had forewarned about. Will.

"It was Will," He wheezed "he came-demanding that-Melinda go. There were others. He had-a car." Adam had trouble getting the words out because he was in so much pain. Ed swore. All of the kids had changed around after waking up in the FAyz some had begun to develop strange powers. Will's-the ability to afflict pain on anyone at will-was one of the worst.

Ed grabbed Adam by the collar. "Where did they go?!"

Erika~

I sat expressionless driving the van through the twisted streets to where the other coates were waiting. Melinda was tied up in the middle row of seats in the van and Will sat behind her in the third row always ready in case she tried anything. I tried to concentrate on the road ahead of me, but it was taking a lot of my energy to keep Melinda's emotion submissive and calm.

As far as I could tell she was completely under my spell and as we drove she just looked out the window. It took about ten minutes to weave through the city and up to the academy. I pulled over next to the front entrance and waited until a few of the weaker-unimportant coates members came. The underlings opened the door and Will commanded "Melinda get out of the car" and instantly she complied and got out of the car. Will and I followed behind the escort group up the steps and into the academy. It numerous classrooms we passed were unimportant, but soon we arrived at the theater, our base of operations. The door was opened for us. We proceeded toward the stage where Buds and Robin were waiting.

Robin~

Erika walked towards us fatigue outlined her features. Will followed after her looking down at the wooden stairs leading towards the stage area. I stood up as I saw Melinda stumbling after them her eyes looked dreamily at Erika as if she were in a trance. I jumped down the stage landing in front of them my heart throbbing.
"How did you get her to come with you?" I asked waving my hands around me expressively.
"How do you think?" Will said plainly mounting up the stairs towards Buds.
"Brain wash?" I asked Erika personally, she smiled at me looking back to Melinda who stopped obediently behind her.
"She's under my spell" She walked past me towards the others. I stared at the other students who had come to witness the event. They stood at the back looking down hatefully at Melinda.
The lights from the stage burned down on the back of my neck flickering every so often.
"Did you get any food?" I asked whirling around
"They went there to get Melinda not a food" Buds muttered looking at Melinda.
"It wouldn't have hurt to at least bring back a spring roll my stomach is eating itself"
"All of our stomach's are eating themselves" Erika said dropping into a chair sighing loudly.
Will's eyes flickered to Melinda "Let's get this started than" he ordered clapping his palms together.

Buds

I wasn't too curious what they had to ask. The only reason he had to be there in the first place was because I'd have to get going and make sure that whatever she said was true. I didn't care what the information was, just my job, and I'd rather get working sooner than later.

I put my hand on my MP3 in my pocket. I turned up the volume and closed my eyes. It helped me drown myself with most of the music. I tapped the screen, and a new song started

A song called Where it's At came on. It's not too fast or loud, and has some lyrics that can be followed easier than they can be understood. It certainly matched the situation.

I didn't know what they were doing to interogate, and again, I didn't care. They had her in the hypnosis, so I assumed they'd ask her and kill her after. I was surprised to hear any smacks or shouts in front of me.

The guitar solo came up. These usually tend to really catch me in the music. I always do the longest and thinnest air guitar you'd ever see, but you don't. When I'm in the music enough, I tend to go invisible. I have control over the power, but a few moments like guitar solos cause it to go on it's own. It's never been any trouble before.

The song comes to the last verse, when I feel a push to my chest. I immediately woke up and saw Will right in front of my face. Obviously, he never heard of personal space.

"Buds, you hear her?"

"What do you think?"

Will rolled his eyes. I rolled back. He's just doing his job, I know, but there's something that always bugs me about him.

"East side of the Plant has a staircase that leads to an unprotected floor. Head down and check it out."

Finally, some god damn work. I turned the volume up a little higher and walked to my mountain bike. I noticed that the others were still asking her things. I figured I better get out quick before I need to make a list.

My bike wasn't much, but she was comftorable and fast. I knew how to drive, but you can't make smoke from an exhaust invisible; only the car, and I'd rather not get hit while driving.

I rode down the hill and turned towards the power plant. I'm just hoping I don't have to make this trip twice.

Will Murphy~
This was delicious. The hostage... we'd get control over the power plant no matter what now. We're breaking all the rules, we're spilling the most blood. This was the way everyone won the great wars. Murder and enslavement. I dragged Melinda into the detention hall in our school. It was soundproofed, completely reinforced, windowless and no handle on the inside. Built for the type of people who were sent to Coates. "You be good... we might have to kill you if you are any less." I laughed to myself a bit... this kind of stuff was just exhilarating.

"Tyler, your sister is secured." I told him as I walked by him. He nodded and smiled but I saw a hint of what... regret? He'd get over it.

Land and resources, this was war and heads will roll. I passed by a little kid who kept his head down as he scurried past me. I glanced at him and he rolled over in crippling pain. This power was wonderful.

"Buds, the power plant is guarded by children ageing 6-10, this should be easy. We get past Ed, Payton, Jim, which should be easy. They'll come for Melinda and we'll be ready." I smiled to myself again.

Erika~

I had followed Will into the detention hall to make sure everything went smoothly, but as soon as she was locked up I released my hold on her emotions. Tyler looked a bit shifty and anticipated about something so I scanned his emotions. It seems he was feeling regret which I assumed came from his sister being locked up. I decided I should alert Robin, but first I headed off to my room to get some sleep.

I opened the door to classroom C207 and turned on the lights. The room was filled with paintings and drawings that had been done in the short amount of time we have been here. I plopped down on the queen size bed and shut my eyes.

When I awoke my alarm clock read 9:30am so I leisurely strolled downstairs to the theatre. Every coates member was seated in a chair and Will and Robin were discussing something. I noticed Buds off to the side sitting on a chair listening to who knows what on his i-pod. I guess I better join them I thought. Marching down the aisles Will had stopped talking and everyone turned to look.

Melinda

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to enjoy it. I'll kill everyone of them slowly" The twisted thoughts ran through my mind as I sat in the car tied up. Erika had me under her trance so I couldn't do anything but think. The car suddenly stopped and I was told to get out, unwillingly because of Erika's trance, I did. They were talking about taking over the area, they would die first. Will shoved me into a dimly lit room, with no windows, door handles, no escape. I was sat in a chair and tied again.

"You be good..we might have to kill you if your any less", Will said, a smile on his face, glint in his eye.

"Tyler, your sister has been secured", he said to the worthless piece of shit, I used to call my brother. Will kicked everyone out of the room and for the next 2 hours, I was slapped, kicked, punched, cut and threatened as they tried to get information out of me. Will, the sadistic bastard put his gun to my head twice. I was bleeding heavily out of my arms, which Will had run a small blade over. He really was mentally unstable. I was blinking in and out of consciousness at that point. What really bothered me was that Tyler could stand outside and listen to all this happening. He was my freaking twin brother!! As Will started to leave, he (fucking maniac) tilted my chin up and kissed me softly on my brusied and battered lips. Then he left.

Will walked out and Tyler came in sitting down 10 feet in front of me, in a leather chair. The sicko had a small smile on his face. What a piece of crap. It was quiet for about an hour, as the trance began to wear off I was able to move a little bit. Tyler was just sitting there with a little smile on his face.

"It didn't have to be like this, Mel", he said suddenly. I couldn't speak yet so I just glared at him. It infuriated me that he called me Mel, the childhood nickname seemed dirty on his traitorous mouth.

"You could have came with me to the Coates, we could have been together...families should stick together", he told me before going silent again. I was breathing heavily and I was working harder at pulling the ropes off. Tyler was almost s good at fighting as me...I could take him. I finally got the stupid rope off and slowly stood before standing and kicking him in the stomach.

"YOU JERK!!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!! STUPID BASTARD!!! YOU LEFT!!! YOUR NOT A COATES KID, WE LIVED IN THE TOWN FOREVER!!!!! YOU KNOW THAT PAYTON CRIED WHEN YOU LEFT, PAYTON NEVER FREAKING CRIES!!!! PIECE OF CRAP!!!!", I screamed, kicking him at every chance I got. He was not attacking back, just defending himself. Then he began to scream back.

"WE HAD NO FUCKING PROTECTION AT THE DAMN DOJO!!! SORRY BUT I DON'T WANNA DIE!! YOU HAD FOOD AND ALL BUT WE HAVE SAFETY!!!", he yelled, beginning to fight back. I punched him in the face and he countered with a kick to the ribs. Fortunately, I was better and he knew it so he went back to just defending himself.

"SO YOU LEAVE!!!! YOU LEAVE THE KIDS!! YOU LEAVE PAYTON YOUR FRIEND SINCE KINDERGARTEN, EDWARD YOUR BEST FRIEND,JIM YOUR OTHER BEST FRIEND AND ME!!!!!!!!!! YOU LEAVE YOUR EFFING TWIN SISTER!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!!! PROBABLY WANTED TO GO OFF WITH YOUR SLUT GIRLFRIEND ERIKA!!! YOU RETARD!! THEN YOU LET MY ASSED GET KICKED BY WILL, THE SADISTIC JACKASS, YOU SAW WHAT HE DID WHEN HE WAS JUST LEAVING, HE FUCKING KISSED ME!!!!!!!!!!!", I ranted. I had stopped fighting long ago, now I just stood there breathing deeply. I instantly regretted screaming, not for the reasons you think but because the others obviously heard what was going on. Erika, Robin, Buds and Will walked in, surveying the scene, all with a smirk on their faces.

"What did we tell you, Melly? We told you to be a good girl, but you were a bad girl. Very bad indeed, well bad girls must be punished", Will informed me. I was instantly hit with a wave of pain all around my body. I fell to my knees and put my head in my arms. I don't know hold long I stood there but finally he left. I crawled to the corner and Tyler's smrking face was the last thing I saw before the world went black.

Will:
I looked down at Melanie. "That was fun, wasn't it?" The others sort of half nodded but some just looked a bit nauseous. They'd never understand the thrill. Tyler, when you're done crying over spilt milk, I need you and the others," I indicated to the rest, "To meet me in the Lounge and figure out some battle plans. Also, the power plant. It's really not that complicated, so get your asses moving." I waved them out with my machete and followed behind them.

"Hey Tyler, HOLD IT." I yelled to Tyler. He turned around quickly. "I need you to help me set up some traps. I got wind that the Beach kids might try to steal back our guest. Payton should be easy, she's pretty defenseless if there's no weapon material, so we stick her in the detention hall... but how do we cut off someone's senses... think for me Tyler..."

Payton:
"Ed, we have to go get her. They know they can just nab hostages now, who's next... we can't let them do this." I slumped down a chair in the reception room of the dojo. The kids weren't allowed in, we were afraid we'd scare them or something.

"Payton, they killed Emma and James last time, we can't afford the bloodshed... we... I just don't know." Jim pushed me out of the chair and sat down.

"We could practice siege warfare. It's really not that hard... catapults... trebouches... battering rams... it's really quite 13th century stuff." I said, musing to myself.

"That's not a bad idea actually." Ed replied perking up a little bit. "How long would that take you?"

"Ehh... about three days with help from a lot of people at the least." I answered.

"Just let's not use bows and arrows, I think machine guns would be fine." He added. I just smiled back.

This is Tyler's point of view, you already know enough about him from Melinda that I'm not gonna put any character thingy on him. I'm not going to do much on him but if anyone wants to have him as their full time character I'm cool with it, just PM me first:

I watched, sickened as Will placed blow after blow on my sister's unconscious body. My body still ached from the kicks she threw at me and my mind still hurt from the words. I only joined the Coates because I was sick of her outshining me, I was sick of forever being in her shadow, I was sick of the attention she always got and the fact that everyone liked her more. Sadly, I can't which was more sickening, watching Will beat the shit out of her or watching her gain more and more status with the Perildo Beach kids while I'm left in the dark. What she sad about Erika was partly true. One of the reasons I left was because of our relationship. The true reason I left, when I found out Melinda, Payton, Edward and Jim had been playing leader and kept me out of all their secret meetings. They refused to tell me anything and treated me like a little kid. So I left. I don't regret it though. Only thing I regret was watching my sister being kidnapped, beaten then kissed by the devil incarnate himself, Will. Oh well, I'll get over it.

Edward~

Edward laughed. The idea of him and a bunch of the others using catapults to attack the Coates was appealing. Like Payton said just a couple of days was all it would take...but would Melinda have a couple of days? Edward stood. He couldn't sit any longer.

"Jim we have to do something." He looked at their leader,Jim, he trusted the guy with his life. And in reality he wouldn't be alive without him. Townie kids loved him. He was possibly the only person that sadist Will Murphy feared. And now... "Jim-" he started saying but the other boy held up his hand already knowing what he was going to say.

"I know your reasoning Ed but it's suicide." Payton looked up suddenly.

"What? What's Ed planning?" She looked at Ed with accusing narrow eyes. Edward said nothing so Jim spoke.

"He want's to go in and save Melinda by himself. Him being a teleporter he's got the best chance of survival." Payton looked hurt.

"Are you an idiot?"

"I know it's stupid," Edward spoke slowly, as he was forming his thoughts "but I can't live with myself if I don't try. I'm not warrior. I'm not a leader. I'm not an inventor.This is something I can do." Jim for sometime sat in silence. Edward envied the kid's resourcefulness. He could see the gears were turning in this guy's head.

Then Jim said finally "Ok."

"What?! Jim thats-!" Payton said. She couldn't finish her sentence she was so shocked.

"No he makes sense. If we wait too long Melinda might not make it. This is our best choice."

Edward was relieved. "Thank you. I won't fail you guys."

But Jim still looked worried. "Ed..." He said "You better not." Edward nodded. He closed his eyes ready for the familiar sensation of a jump. That's when Payton grabbed his hand.

"I'm not letting you go alone," she said. Edward just smiled.

"Then you better hold on." Ed shut his eyes. He felt Payton squeeze his hands and then they jumped.

Robin~

I could only cringe at the beating Will had given Melinda. Blood spilled from her body creating a small pool around her. Her breath's were deep and weak, she would gasp continously for air her voice echoing the room. I felt bad so bad I wanted to help her. But doing that would make me a traitor yet I couldn't just sit by and watch.
I had never thought Will could throw that type of a punishment. This maybe war but...but...I couldn't take it. Other's being hurt for reasons of power. My heart throbbed as I stared up into the flickering light.
They were talking about battle plan's. I could hear that as much but the words in which they were saying sound like gurgles.
"We should attack when they are weak. We have one of their strongest members, soon they'll be knocking on our doors. We should send out a few people to overide them whilst they are busy" Bud's said constructively pacing up and down. Will sat in his chair nodding thoughtfully. Erika seemed nervous she fidgeted in her chair scratching the back of her palm's continously.
The blue ribbon in my hair fell from the individual strands. Sighing I pulled my hair up into a high pony tail tying the ribbon around it tightly. I could fight that was for sure. I had been taught when I was younger by my mother and father, yet I never could imagine myself forcing a blow against someone else to kill. I would always leave my opponent's alive when I fought though telling others that I'd killed them.I looked down at my palms
"Why?" I turend towards Will. He turned his head to stare at me his eyes glazed over.
"Why what?"
"Why did you..." I stopped biting my lip, shaking my head I turned back towards the other Coates kids.
"I had to" Will said knowing what I was going to have asked.

Jim

I sat back in the chair as Ed and Payton dissapered hopefully Ed would have the sence to teleport outside and sneak in. I waited for a few minutes the break from people asking my opininon welcome. Eventually I stood up and walked into the main hall of the dojo. The younger kids were play fighting now totaly forgetting the skills that they had just been learning.

"Elmo what are we meant to do while Melinda and Payton are gone" Adam said rubbing his shoulder. I shurreged.

"just chill out and take a break, well actually you should practise Adam getting beaten by a girl two years younger than you" I said and Adam starting going red.

"I thought Melinda and Payton said they wouldn't tell anyone outside of the dojo" Adam whinnied.

"they only told me because I asked them why you hadn't moved out to the beach yet" I said this didn't seem to do Adam much comfort. Most kids moved out of the dojo by the time they were eleven and onto the beach.

"it's alright you can move when your ready, just I could really use your help" I asked Adam looked away guilty and I decided their was no winning with this kid. Quickly I walked out of the dojo and onto the beach wear squatter tents and dustbins with fires in had been set up. All the older kids hanged out around here. Today their was a sense of panic in the air and I knew that Malinda disappearance wasn't the only event of the day.

"Elmo" A tall blond boy called Issac said. Issac had the ability to control gravity around himself and an 8 meter radius. Issac was one of are best fighters which is why I kept him at the power station.

"it the Coates, another attack" Issac said and I shook my head in disbelief.

"how many?" I asked starting to walk quickly with Issac down the road.

"Will, Erika, Robin probably invisible dude but you know invisible. As well as four other powered and twenty norms, their just walking down the big road towards us." Issac finished and I nodded I knew Issac had come to ask for more people to be at the power plant we only had twenty normals and two Powered including Issac. As we were about to leave Adam came running over gun in hand.

"I coming with you guys" He said and honestly why would I complain.

Melinda

I woke with a start, breathing deeply. The blood still flowing out of my arms created a small pool of blood around me. I tried to sit up but was hit with a wave of nausea, probably from loss of blood and lack of food. I turned and threw up, blood coating most of the disgusting gunk. Forget Tyler, I'm going to murder Will. Stupid phyco obsessed freak. I lay on the floor, steering clear from my throw-up. I hurt all over but I wouldn't give who ever was watching me the satisfaction. I tried to turn over but accidently leaned on what seemed like a broken rib. I couldn't hold in the pain anymore, I groaned then started to cry, the tears making tracks throuh my blood and sweat covered face. I lay still, crying letting the pain and sorrow take over.