Dawn of Tears - 22. Escape from the Prophet

Note to Readers: Utah was a place of many lessons for me, not the least of which how much my views of killing had changed. It was something that stayed with me for many years, the ease of killing those that 'might' be a problem as well as those that were a clear and present danger. It wasn't until I was eighteen that something happened to change that belief.

What was it? It was four, no four and a half months ago that I'd first killed another human being. Then, I'd shot a man who was sighting a rifle on a General I'd just met, who'd been nice to me and Henry. The man had been about to kill that General and instead, I'd killed him.

When I saw his blood and brains splattering against the wall beside him, I'd thrown up and had nightmares. Now, just a few minutes after gunning down a girl less than a year younger than me, I showed no reaction to having murdered her, and the man bonded to her, a man who had been a part of my team the day before. Instead, I threatened to shoot anyone else who so much as breathed wrong, and I still held the wrist of the self-styled Prophet that had seized power in this state. Not only did I hold him in my physical grasp, but I also held him in the grasp of my mental powers.

Something bothered me though. I had him in my grasp, had his four chief Deacons, and six personal bodyguards standing in front of me, scared to move, and I had one friend, who I thought was or would be my lover standing by my side. No one else had reacted to the gunshot; the door hadn't opened with alarmed guards rushing to save their beloved Prophet. We were still alone here in this cold, impersonal room.

"Why hasn't anyone come in here after that gunshot?" I asked the Prophet, pushing with my boiling, ripping power coursing through him.

"The room is soundproofed. No one would have heard it and the door is locked so they couldn't enter if they did." The Prophet spat out in a rush to please me, all control over his own words or actions bound to my will, not his, for as long as the control of my power lasted on him.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Jeremy asked again, now turning to face me instead of looking at a door that was not likely to be opened by surprise.

"I'm working on something." I said, wracking my brain for anything that might work. It's not like this was a Star Wars movie. There, that gave me an idea.

"If we took two of those guards' uniforms and used them to get to where they're holding these kids, would that work?" I asked aloud.

"No." The Prophet answered. "They'd recognize you weren't part of my guard unit. Their faces are well known."

"What if we controlled them?" I asked.

"No, the reprogramming center's guards know to look for the signs of someone being controlled." The Prophet answered again.

"That's why we didn't just put commands on Holt." Jeremy said, wincing as he looked at the man who'd died when the girl he'd been bonded to died. "Sealing them to us leaves them able to react more normally to situations."

"If you'd really been able to control me, where would you have put me for the night?" I demanded from the Prophet.

"In the reprogramming center." The Prophet gasped out as fast as he could. "That's were all those like you are kept."

"He'd always put the protections robes on us and then have the guards take us there." Jeremy said with a thin smile. The smile failed after a moment. "That's why they're trained to notice the guards' behaviors to make sure they're not being controlled."

"What are these protection robes?" I asked.

"They're heavy black robes that cover us from head-to-toe." Jeremy answered. "They have small eye slits so we can see, but that's it. With them on, we can't touch anyone by accident or on purpose."

"If you'd only known that I was bound to Jeremy, would you have made me wear these protection robes?" I demanded of the Prophet.

"No, I'd have just had the guards escort you there and made sure they knew to put you in different cells."

"Well, then, it looks like we have our answer." I said, satisfied that I'd figured out a way to the cells where the five children with powers like me were being held.

"But how do we get back to your plane from there?" Jeremy asked and I scowled at him.

"One thing at a time." I told him. "I would like to ask you to put controls on the good Deacons and put them to sleep, if you don't mind. Tell them to sleep for ten hours or until they hear the sound of your voice calling their name and telling them to wake."

"I can do that." Jeremy said with a nod.

"Gentlemen, and that includes you brave security guards, don't resist." I said firmly as Jeremy approached the first man, Deacon Timms. The man tried to draw back but the sound of my clucking tongue drew his attention. "You have a choice, either accept his touch or accept a bullet in your brain like little Tina. Believe me I have far fewer qualms about killing any of you than I did with her."

No one even blinked when Jeremy walked up to them and touched a hand to their heads, giving them the instructions like I'd asked. Each of the four middle-aged men dropped to the floor soundlessly, clearly asleep. The six guards stared at us with wide, fearful eyes, and I realized why they had looked a little odd earlier. They looked young and innocent, far younger and more innocent than even Killmer, the youngest and only non-veteran member of my security detail. They looked like juniors or seniors in high school, not seasoned, veteran soldiers guarding the leader of their church and state.

"How old are you?" I asked pointing my gun at the nearest soldier, whose eyes got even wider.

"Six….sixteen." He stammered out in obvious fear.

"Don't be fooled by him." Jeremy said slightly harshly. "These guys were all chosen from the local church schools because they were all the most fanatical believers of whatever shit the church dished out. They used to kick me around a lot when they first took over. Still did whenever they could do it without a Deacon seeing."

"Jeremy, something I learned a while ago is that bullies make the biggest cowards." I said. "Anyone with a half a brain doesn't pick bullies for his body guards. Now, boys, I hope you heard what I said to the Deacons. You get the same choice, let Jeremy touch you without flinching or get a bullet in the brain. I'm not a bully; I don't do things just to see people hurt. I just do what I have to do to survive and you better believe I don't mind shooting any of you and all the wide eyes in the world won't slow my finger down as it pulls the trigger."

"I don't think they'll be a problem." Jeremy said moving towards the one closest to him. There wasn't even the danger of them grabbing Jeremy to hold him hostage. Jeremy would just take control of them with his powers then. I could see the boy he touched watch the single finger Jeremy laid between his eyebrows like it was the kiss of death.

"Oh, Jeremy, just a light control please." I said. "Just tell them to stand still and watch, doing nothing."

Jimmy looked surprised, but nodded and turned back to the boy guard he was touching. Here I was calling them boys, but they were all older than me, yet in that very moment I knew they were boys compared to me. I'd left behind the fear that was turning them into little kids right this moment. They stopped shaking though as Jeremy's controls controlled them. I smiled at them as I released the Prophet, and instructed for him to remain kneeling. Then I handed the gun I'd been holding to Jimmy. He looked at it with a little fear at first, but took it firmly in hand. He had at least a passing familiarity with guns because he held it correctly, but there was a questioning look in his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked me.

"Take that gun and hold it to the Prophet's head." I told him gently. "Don't pull the trigger unless I tell you to."

"What are you going to do?" He asked me again.

"I'm giving our boys here a choice." I whispered so low only he could hear. "If I bond, or Seal, them to me, they won't raise suspicion when we go to get the others at this reprogramming center of theirs."

"Why didn't you have me bond them?" Jeremy asked just as quietly.

"Do you want to?" I asked him and saw from the look of revulsion on his face that he didn't. "Look, Jeremy, the way I see it, those guards are a threat, but also the key to saving five innocent kids from being used the way you were used. Are the lives of these bullies worth the lives of five innocent kids like you and me?"

"No." Jeremy said after a moment. "But it still…I don't like forcing this on anyone."

"Neither do I, Jeremy." I said. "That's why I am going to give them a choice. You haven't had the training I've had, but you've seen some of what I've been through. I understand what's at stake here; I understand what happens if I fail, and I know how many people will die of I don't succeed. If that means I pull the trigger six more times tonight, then I will. If it means I bond six more people to me tonight, then I will."

"Can you bond six in one night?" Jeremy asked. "I've never done more than one at a time and some of them left me exhausted."

"I can do this." I assured him, although I'd only managed four in one day before. Still, I may not have to bond all six. I bent down, picking up one of the other five pistols Jeremy had collected from the six guards. I clicked off the safety, made sure a round was chambered and walked to where the six of them stood, carefully stepping on Deacon Roberts's stomach as I came to stand before them. Their eyes followed me, but their bodies were locked in place, unable to move. I slowly unbuttoned the shirt I was wearing, and as I did I could see uneasiness in their eyes. I smirked at that, and saw that uneasiness grow as my shirt fell to the floor. I turned around and lowered the top of my jeans in the back so they could clearly see the tattoo that was less than a day old.

"Do you see that, boys?" I asked. "Jeremy, tell them they can answer my questions."

"Answer any questions he asks you directly." Jeremy ordered them, and then added after a moment. "Tell him the truth too."

"Do you boys see my tattoo?" I repeated and got six voices telling me "yes" in tones ranging from edgy and agitated to angry and fearful. "This circle represents my power boys, my strength in bonding people to me. The gold stars you see? All twenty-four of them represent the men and women bonded to me in this circle."

I turned around then and looked at them carefully. Jeremy had told them to stand still, and they were, but there faces wore expressions ranging from shock, to uncertainty, and to revulsion in a few of them. I stepped up to the one who looked the most revolted, the pistol I'd picked up resting in my hand as my arm hung loosely from my side.

"What's your name?" I asked the boy I was looking at.

"Nathan." He said truthfully. He seemed too pleased he'd managed to not say his last name.

"Nathan, do you believe in God?" I asked him.

"Yes I do." He said more confidently.

"That's good, because I do as well." I told him and his eyes widened slightly. I was glad he was the shortest of this group as we were looking almost eye to eye. He was just a bit taller than me. "Nathan, what do you believe is the Prophet's relationship to God?"

"The Prophet is God's chosen representative on Earth, he speaks for God and imparts his will on the Faithful." Nathan answered with what was obviously a Litany.

"Is that man the Prophet if he's being controlled by me and could die at any moment?" I asked.

"He's…" Nathan started to say something, but he stopped. I could see the signs of a command kicking in, Jeremy's truth command probably. Then it looked like Nathan was trying to keep something back, but he finally spat out the words "I don't know."

"Good, Nathan." I said in a calm voice, raising the gun I was holding so that it was clearly visible between our faces, just below the level of our eyes. "Do you see this gun?"

"Yes." He said instantly, his eyes darting to the others around us, trying to gauge their reaction to his statement.

"Nathan, you've seen your two choices that I'm going to give you." I said in a soft, comforting tone. "You can choose to remain loyal to that man over there, the one you're not even sure is the Prophet of God that you believed he was. If you choose to remain loyal to the Prophet, you will die by a bullet from this gun for a man who may or may not be what you believed he was. It's an honorable choice, if you decide to make it, and I will have to admit to some grudging respect for your soul, but you will be dead. Or you can make the other choice."

"What's the other choice?" He asked in a quavering voice, no longer looking at his other friends but at the gun in my hand between us. I knew he was remembering the way I'd shot Tina, and there was no doubt in his mind that I would do it again. Any guilt I'd felt about Tina's murder was gone at that moment. It had been the right choice to shoot her, if her death was already making this boy realize I would kill him as I had just threatened to do.

"Your other choice is to help me do what I need to do." I told him softly, almost sympathetically. Major Unger had given me lessons in voice control a few times and they were paying off well here. "But, you have to understand that the lives of many people are resting on me being helped, and not betrayed. I have to trust you completely, and the only way to do that is to bond you to me. Do you understand what that means completely?"

"Not really." He answered, again truthfully. "I know it means you kiss them and do something to the person and then you control them completely and they die without you. I don't want that."

"You've seen how the bond can be misused." I told him in that same sympathetic tone. He looked confused at that. "The bond can indeed be used horribly. I can tell any of the people bonded to me to kill themselves and they would do so without hesitation. That is why I will tell you that I do not believe that man over there speaks for God, because God would never want any of his children destroyed by the abilities he's given me and Jeremy. You've seen the tattoo of my circle. We all wear it as a symbol of the relationship, the bond we share that God has allowed us to share. Those bonded to me are not my slaves, or my servants. They are my partners in life, both men and women, who seek to help me accomplish the tasks I face like this. They serve me loyally, and I serve them loyally. We care for each other, and I make sure they have as much freedom to live their lives as they wish to, within the boundaries of their bond to me. If you choose to serve me, there will be twenty-five stars on my back, and you will be treated the same as all the others, judged only by how well you live. I can't promise you anything you want, but I do promise that you won't ever regret making that choice. I could force the bond on you, and you would not be able to resist it, or refuse me, and you would be my slave until the day you died, but I won't do that. Instead I ask you to help me of your own free will. I'm asking you to ask me the one question that will help you make this decision."

"Will you make me change my beliefs in God?" Nathan asked me after a few moments of silence. I smiled at that question.

"Never." I answered him immediately and forcefully. "A man's belief in God is his own. If you ever want to discuss the differences in what we might believe, I'll enjoy the conversation, and I'll try to convince you I'm right, but I'll never force you to believe the same things I believe in when it comes to God."

"Then I'll help you." He said with a sigh, closing his eyes. I didn't wait, but rather stepped even closer, lowering the gun to my side and pulling him closer to me. Before my lips touched him, I noticed his eyes scrunched up in fear.

"Relax, Nathan." I whispered softly, and noticed him relax slightly. My power was humming inside me now, a soft muted buzz more than a roaring inferno. "I'm not going to hurt you, God wouldn't allow that."

That seemed to relax him even more and as my lips touched his trembling lips, my power poured into him like a wave rippling over parched soil. He soaked up that power for a moment and I felt him melt against me. I was expecting a backlash from the power of Jeremy that had been controlling him, but this time it felt like Jeremy's power recognized me and melted into the flows of my own that was washing through Nathan's lithe body. Nathan started moaning deeply, and as my tongue entered his mouth, he started shaking in my grasp, moaning hard and I noticed a single tear drop slide down his face as he sagged against me. His orgasm finished sweeping through him, and I released his mouth. His head drooped until he nuzzled against my neck, crying softly.

"Why was I ever afraid of that?" He asked, no longer controlled by Jeremy and now bound to me. His voice was stronger now, and I knew the five others heard him as well.

"You okay now, Nathan?" I asked gently and he sighed in response, straightening up and wiping his face of the tears. He smiled hesitantly at me and I smiled back.

"I've never felt anything like that before." He said softly now, and in a husky voice.

"Don't worry, it won't go away." I said. He looked nervously at one of the other guards who were now staring at him like they'd never seen him before.

"If you guys are smart, you'll make the same choice I did, especially you Sean." He said firmly and then looked at me, waiting for direction.

"Go stand by Jeremy for now." I told him. "Remember, he's my friend, so help him if he needs it. You can pick up one of the guns on the floor and put it in your holster."

"How do I address you?" He asked me.

"My name is Dylan, please call me that for now." I said with a smile that he returned.

"Thanks Dylan." He said before moving around to where Jeremy was standing. I noticed he made it a point to grind his boot heel into Deacon Timms stomach as he moved. I turned back to look at the five remaining guards, boys rather, and they were all staring at me with a lot of fear in their faces, and in one total revulsion even fiercer than what Nathan had shown. That was the one I stepped in front of next. This time I had to look up since I was staring at his chin, and he began glaring at me sharply.

"Did you hear and understand everything I said to Nathan?" I asked him.

"Yes." He spat out.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Gary Kevin Michael Richard Timms." He said fiercely.

"Is that your dad asleep over there?" I asked and realized that had only made him madder.

"Yes, and that's one of my younger brothers you just perverted you sick fuck!" He spat angrily, edging around the controls Jeremy had placed to just answer questions.

"Then I'll ask you to ask me one question that will help you make your decision." I said and was met only by silence. I realized that if he had made up his mind already he wouldn't be able to speak. "Or if you've already chosen, I'll ask you to tell me which you choose, the gun or serving me."

"The gun you little pervert." He sneered instantly. "I bet you won't even…"

He never finished the sentence because my gun came up and fired, into his face, right between his steely green eyes. I'd never shot someone from this close before, and the roar of the gun deafened me as I smelled the gunpowder and felt something wet and sticky hit my face. I froze for a moment in shock. This was so up close and personal compared to even killing Tina. For a moment, I started to shake and my stomach roiled, but then I remembered five kids somewhere nearby being treated like slaves, being brainwashed so others could control them and seek to control others through them. I remembered Jeremy's memory of Mathew Smith being shot like that, and never being given the chance that Gary Kevin Michael Richard Timms had been given. He could have chosen to live. I took a deep breath that settled my stomach and stepped in front of the next person. For a moment I was haunted by very familiar green eyes, and realized that the face they were in was almost exactly like Nathan's.

"You're Nathan's twin brother, aren't you?" I asked and the boy nodded.

"You heard the offer I made to both your brothers, didn't you?" He nodded again.

"You understand and believe that I mean both offers?" I asked and he nodded.

"Do you want to ask me a question or are you ready to choose?" I asked him.

"Will you kiss me, please?" He asked in a weak voice, almost begging.

This brother lasted longer in the kiss than Nathan had, but when he reached his orgasm, he collapsed, only being held up by my arms around him. I noticed the front of his uniform was smeared with blood and looked down to find my chest had a smear of blood on it. After getting my newly bonded back to his feet I reached down to the sleeping form of one the Deacons and used his suit jacket to wipe the blood off from my face and chest. It left smears, but most of it was gone by the time I turned back to the next guard.

By this point, I think all of them had had their spirits broken, and I just asked them if they wanted to ask me a question or were they ready to choose. All of them immediately asked me to kiss them. By the last one, I was literally exhausted and had to sit down in the chair that the prophet had sat in when we were brought in the room. I looked over at the Prophet who was staring at me with wide eyes. He'd recovered enough from the tight controls I'd placed on him that he'd seen most of what had happened and was almost trembling.

"Did you see that?" I asked him maliciously. "One of your boys actually chose death for you. How does that make you feel?"

"They should all have chosen as he did!" The man shouted angrily and a fit of anger burst over me. I raised the gun I was still holding and shot him, causing Jeremy to leap backwards. I just sat there; staring at the body slumped over and wondered what the hell had happened here?

"Dylan?" Jeremy's voice was soft, almost comforting and I looked up to see him standing in front of me with a look of concern. He'd given his gun to one of the guards and was focusing on me. "Dylan, are you okay?"

"I think I've screwed up big time." I said. "I was sent here to talk and I've just killed the man dad told me to talk to and negotiate something with."

"Dylan, do you realize what you've done?" He asked. "The men here in this room are the one's who led the coup, who took over the church. Everyone's afraid of them. Whenever someone spoke out, they brought Tina or me in, and we Sealed them. Tina got all the men, and they're probably all dead now. That would be the rest of the Deacons not in here right now. The Prophet's been afraid for the last week now that people were going to try to lead something against him because a lot of them are seeing the United States recover and we're not really doing much."

"Dad told us they were cutting off satellite connections last week." Nathan spoke up. His twin Sean also nodded. "They've been putting a lot of people in the police and guard under watch too."

"So, if the entire government leadership was dead, there'd be a power vacuum with no one to step into it?" I asked.

"I think so." Sean said. "If you're saying what I'm thinking you're saying. The only people who could take over here are the ones lying over there. I know you don't respect us much, but we heard a lot. They only let the sons of important people be guards here, and well, I remember the Prophet saying when you were coming here that they had to get control of you before things collapsed."

"A fact which explains why they were so desperate to remove as much security from my team as they could." I stated glumly. This was why they had refused to let the advance teams land. I really should have listened to the advice people were giving me. Maybe that was why there advisors?

"If…if we kill these Deacons wouldn't that help you?" Nathan said, stuttering a bit. I could understand why he did stutter. He was newly bonded to me, probably trying to earn my respect and attention, and he was suggesting killing his father to do that. I winced at that thought. Still, with what they were saying, doing that might just save my overall mission as well. I stood, feeling a little weak, and looked at the four men, lying there asleep. Jeremy caught my arm and gave me a sympathetic look.

"Tell them to do it, Dylan." He said softly. "You don't have to do it yourself."

"You want to know one of the first things I was told about being an Army officer?" I asked him and he frowned. I didn't wait for his answer though. "I was told that an officer is as responsible for actions committed under his orders as if he had done it himself. Jeremy, whether I order them to do it, or do it myself, I am just as responsible."

"We…I'll do it, Dylan." Nathan said with a look of sadness on his face when I turned to him. "You don't have to tell me, I'll just do it. I don't want you to feel bad."

"I made you a promise before I bonded you, Nathan." I stated firmly, standing a little straighter. "I will not have you killing them to make me feel better. Thank you though; I do appreciate you saying that."

Nathan looked relieved at my words, and then looked away as I moved my arm a little, taking careful aim. Each of the four shots were loud, clear, and distinct, as were the results. I didn't flinch though. I wouldn't let myself. Instead I placed the gun on the desk. All five of them had guns now, and my carrying one would only raise suspicion if anyone noticed.

"Get that protective dress or whatever it is and let's go get those kids." I mumbled tiredly. I felt drained, exhausted, but I had to still get the kids, Jeremy, and my new bonded back to the plane.

"We can take the Prophet's Humvee to the reprogramming center." Sean said as Nathan came back with a thick black garment that he helped Jeremy put on. Jeremy picked the gun up from the desk and pulled it under the garment with him, where it was hidden. I must have been tired not to think of that.

"Then we can use it to drive to the airport." Brian Dellington, one of the others said, looking at me for approval. "No one would dare to stop the Prophet's vehicle."

"Okay, let's get going before I pass out." I said, stumbling when I took a step.

"Look, let Chris and I carry you between us, Dylan." Matthew Brady said quickly, stepping to my side and positioning himself under my arm, supporting me as he draped it over his shoulder. Chris Davidson did the same on my other side. Nathan unlocked the door from a control on the desk, and we moved out in a group. Nathan and Sean in the lead, with Jeremy between them covered in that ugly garment. Chris and Matthew came next, carrying me between them and I didn't have to do much faking to look as if I would collapse without their support. Brian brought up the rear, closing and locking the door behind him. I heard him mutter under his breath that only two other people had the key so it would be a while before anyone walked in on the bodies inside.

It was late at night and the hallways they took me through were almost deserted, but we did pass a few people who hurriedly passed by us or turned and went in another direction. Soon enough, we were in a garage that held a Humvee with the Prophet's sigil on two flags, and I was being helped into the rear seating area. It was comfortable, and I almost fell asleep right then and there, but I had to think ahead here.

"How many guards are there at this place we're going to?" I asked.

"Six on the inside and two at the entrance" Brian answered. He was driving down a driveway and deeper into the compound. "Um, Dylan, my brother, he's on guard duty inside."

"Do you think you could subdue him without killing him?" I asked.

"Yes, I think I can. He's my younger brother, only fourteen and he shouldn't be there, but he begged and begged Dad." Brian answered. "They're making him do gopher stuff. Everyone else, they're regular Army. Tough guys."

"Don't be nervous guys." I said as soothingly as I could. "Are all six on the inside going to be grouped together?"

"No." Brian answered. "They have like a control center where one of them stands guard. They control the lock down sections from there. Then they have two pairs on patrol through the different wings. Then there's the one who'll take you two to cells. He usually makes my brother help him with that."

"Okay, Brian, you go up to the control center. Will that make anyone suspicious?" I asked.

"No, usually one or two of us go up there to chat while the people are being locked down." Brian answered.

"Nathan, Sean, you guys stay near the entrance, make sure the guards out there don't come inside once the noise starts. Once any noise starts, you draw your weapons and shoot anyone not with us."

"Got it." They replied in unison and I just raised my eyebrows. I turned to Chris and Matthew who were sitting next to me.

"When we go inside, you do whatever's necessary to make sure they take us to the same area." I continued, thinking as hard as I could. "Then when they're about to put one of us in the cell, you two let me go and I'll stumble into Jeremy. Jeremy, fall down and give me the gun you're holding. Mathew and Chris you guys will then pick me up and step back yelling I have a gun. Jeremy, you try to tackle Brian's brother before he does anything."

"Okay." They said slightly out of unison. I didn't have much more time to think on revising my plans. Oh yeah, I was forgetting the kids, the reason we came here!

"Um, Brian how do we release the kids?" I asked.

"We'll know where they are when I take the control center. They always mark the cells and they keep the progress charts there." Brian answered.

"Brian, I'll send someone to you once we take the guards down. Lock out the guards on patrol. Make sure they can't help. Then we get the kids and get out of here."

"We're here." Brian said, pulling in front of a long, low building with two guards standing out front. I groaned as the five of them moved out, shuffling Jeremy and I into the same order as before. We approached the two guards who were looking at me in some amusement as we came into the brightly lit doorway.

"Who is that and how'd you guys get to have fun with him?" One of the two sentries asked. They were both older, in their mid to late twenties and one of them had the beginnings of a nice fat belly.

"That's the US President's son." Brian said in a good sneer. "We got to play with him for a bit when he badmouthed the Prophet. Then the prophet turned him over to the witch bitch here and she did her thing to him."

"Oh man, the Prophet's actually done it, eh?" The fat sentry said with a laugh. "Well, get him on in there, boys."

We entered through the two solid wood doors, which clicked shut behind us. Brian immediately set off down one hallway and came back a moment later with an older man and a kid, both in uniform. The older man sniggered when he saw me while the kid just looked a little wide-eyed. The man ordered the two carrying me to follow him, and then looked at Jeremy in that damn robe and told the kid to make sure the 'bitch' behaved.

There were two more hallways leading in different directions and he led us down the right one. I was feeling a bit better now and thought I might actually be able to pull off the whole thing. We reached a cell and he told Jeremy 'welcome home bitch.' The grip of the two holding me up loosened and I let out a groan, falling forward and right onto Jeremy who immediately collapsed.
"Shit, he slipped!" Chris shouted as Jeremy and I fumbled to get the gun into my hands. He managed it though, Just as Chris and Matthew hauled me back to my feet by grabbing the back of my trousers.

"GUN!" Matthew shouted and the two unsuspecting guards jumped back in surprise. My aim was less perfect this time and the bullet caught the older man in the chest. The second bullet hit his heart though, killing him as he slid down the wall. The kid hadn't moved and stood there staring. Matthew, who was closest, grabbed the shocked kid's gun arm and used his other hand to pull the kid's pistol out of the holster. Only then did the kid come out of shock and try to struggle.

"Stop it Neil!" Matthew shouted firmly at that. "The Prophet's dead and Dylan here killed him in front of our eyes. We're with him, and so is Brian. You're either with us or you're dead. Which is it?"

"Brian's with you?" Neil asked in a weak voice, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Yes, and the Prophet's really dead too." Matthew's voice was sharp and Neil winced.

"I…I want to stay with Brian." Neil whispered in fear and Matthew nodded, taking a pair of handcuffs from Neil's belt, he handcuffed the boy to his own left arm. Neil stared in surprise, but Matthew looked at me as if for approval. I nodded tiredly.

"You're still tired aren't you?" Matthew asked softly and I nodded. "You can make sure of him later then."

"What's that mean?" Neil asked suspiciously. However, the sounds of heavy booted feet running towards us demanded my attention.

"Down!" I shouted, suiting my words to action as I dived to the floor in the direction of the sounds of booted feet. Two men appeared in uniform and with guns drawn from the opposite way we had come. One froze at the sight he saw, but the other started to take aim from twenty feet away.

Two bullets from my gun hit him square in the chest, and the next two hit his partner before the first man's body started to fall. I tried to remember how many rounds I'd fired from this gun, and decided it didn't matter. I'd just get a new magazine.

"I need a new magazine." I said and a moment later Chris was handing me one from his belt pouch. I ejected the one from the gun and put in the new one. The old one still had four rounds in it, so with one in the chamber I would have been fine, but this way I had seventeen plus the one in the chamber, plus the magazine with four left that I stuck in a pocket of my slacks. I noticed that Neil was staring at the three dead guards and at me. When he saw me looking back, he flinched and looked like he was going to cry.

"Do what you're told, don't make a sound and help us if it's needed, and you and Brian will both be fine." I promised him. He nodded at that and Matthew rubbed his hair, gaining him a glare. "Chris, go find out what's up with Brian and the other two. Jeremy, get that damn thing off."

"I thought it was that girl under there." Neil stammered when Jeremy appeared from under the black cloth. He just smirked at the kid and made as if to touch him. Neil squeaked while he backed up into me. He grabbed me as if begging for protection, practically ripping Matthew's arm from his socket. Jeremy started chuckling when Neil relaxed against me once I had put my free hand on his shoulder.

"Don't get too comfortable there, kiddo." Jeremy sniggered. "He's the one who Sealed your brother, his four buddies and shot Gary when he said 'no'."

Neil tried to flee my grasp with a shriek of terror, but I was strong enough to hold him in place. Fortunately he was shorter than me, and much thinner. He struggled for a moment, and I let him, not exerting any control over him, not that I could have summoned much at the moment.

"Neil, calm down." I said gently. "You've been touching me long enough for me to do something if I was going to. I'm not going to hurt you, in any way so long as you keep your promise."

Neil calmed down after that. I let him go and he moved away slowly, staring at me hard. His look of fear slowly receded though and I could see him thinking hard. I hoped he was smart enough to think things through.

"You Sealed my brother to you." He stated flatly.

"Yes." I answered.

"Are you going to do it to me as well?" He asked, this time with a hint of fear.

"Maybe." I said flatly as I felt another wave of exhaustion hit me. Where were Chris and Brian? "It depends on you and what you want. Brian will be staying with me, no matter what now. If you want to stay around him, you'll probably have to choose accepting that I bond you. If you decide you can stand to live without Brian around, we'll work something else out."

"You mean I'll have a choice?" He asked quietly. I just nodded.

"He gave us all a choice, although you're getting a better one." Matthew stated.

"What was your choice?" Neil asked him.

"He could bond us or he'd kill us." Matthew replied.

"I only kill when I have to." I said. "Neil's promised he won't try to betray us. I think he understands that if I die, his brother will die too. That's enough that he's got an easier choice."

Neil studied me in silence for a moment, and I could see that Jeremy was doing the same. After a few moments, Jeremy came over to me, taking my free hand in his and I could feel his power flowing into me gently, like a warm spring breeze, and it felt refreshing. It didn't last long, and he shrugged as if to say sorry, but I stood up straight and wasn't breathing as heavy as I had been. I was still exhausted, but I was less tired than a minute ago.

"Thanks." I said softly.

"I wasn't sure if it would work." Jeremy said just as softly. "It made me tired though, and I didn't want to risk wearing me out also."

"That was the right choice to make." I assured him. There was the sound of more booted feet, but before I could react, I heard Chris' voice.

"It's Chris and Brian!" The voice called before coming around a corner. He breathed a sigh of relief to find that I wasn't going to shoot him. "I thought it'd be safer to shout first."

"Good idea." I said with a small grin.

"We've…we've taken care of the rest of the guards." Brian said. "Sean and Nathan just opened the front door and shot those two before they could react. The guard in the booth, well I shot him before he turned around. Then the three of us took out the other two who were coming back from their rounds. Chris told me about the two you got. Sorry, they must have heard the shots. Hey Neil, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?" Neil asked.

"Yes, and I'm really doing okay, really, I mean it." Brian said. "I still love you, little bug. That's not changed, but, I guess you know, right?"

"Yes, they told me." Neil said sadly. "Are you…"

"Guys, save it for later." I said sternly and both of them jerked a little before facing me. I smiled as well as I could. "You'll have time to talk later, I promise. For now, we still have to get out of here. Now, where are the kids?"

"Nathan and Sean are getting them." Brian said. "They're lining them up in the main entrance. Sean's got all their charts. I thought you might want them. Um, they're using the traveling chains on them. I mean, they were brainwashing them here, but there's no way we can know how they'll react and they might put you in danger and…"

"Relax." I said, and he did immediately. "I was going to ask you if there was anything like that we could do. We're setting them free of here, yes, but that's not free to do whatever they want. If they aren't a danger, they'll live a good life. We've found another like us besides Jeremy, and he's on the plane right now, being kept safe, taught by the same teachers that teach me school stuff."

"There's another one on the plane?" Jeremy asked in surprise.

"Yeah, he's in the Professor's cabin." I said and Jeremy nodded.

"Let's get going." I said and we moved out. I told Matthew to take the handcuffs off of Neil, who smiled at me a moment before racing to his brother's side and hanging there. Matthew picked up the extra gun he'd taken off of Neil and gave it to Jeremy who gripped it tightly. When we reached the entrance, I found the last two of my new guards standing in front of six black-robed figures of varying heights. I stopped for a moment as their shapeless heads looked at me and I could hear a few gasps of surprise. It only took me a moment to figure out what to say.

"Listen," I said softly but firmly, trying to project reassurance. "My name is Dylan Jacobs. Some of you may have heard my name before, but if you haven't; my father is the President of the United States. I know why you're here, and I'm getting you out of here. I promise you, you won't be treated like this when we get out of here, but for now we don't have time to be certain that you won't hurt any of us. I promise you, if you do what you're told, and don't cause any trouble, we'll get you out of those chains as fast as we can. Now, we're going to take you outside and put you in the back of a vehicle. I want you to all scrunch up when you're inside it and don't move or make a sound. If you do, we won't make it out of here. Do you all understand?"

I saw a bunch of bobbing, shapeless heads and hoped this would work. At a nod from me, we began to move out. The six kids were bunched into the cargo section, out of sight and the rest of us crowded into the passenger sections. Brian was driving again and took off at a much faster pace. It was ten minutes before we reached the compound gates and were waved throughout without stopping. I breathed a sigh of relief, but we had a ways to go yet before we were safe.

"Um, I hate to ask, but does anyone know how to get to the airport?" Brian asked five minutes later. "I've never driven there."

There were several audible groans, including mine, and I panicked for a moment before remembering the briefings before we arrived, and my staring at a map of the city. It was another minute before Brian gave me a cross-street I recognized from the map. I kept having to repeat the directions as we continued through the dark city. There were almost no electric lights on away from the Prophet's compound, and I had several flashbacks to Idaho, imagining snipers in every building. I realized I really was tired. Finally, we were getting close and I began to worry again. There were snipers at the airport, and several squads of troops, and my own people didn't know I was coming back, or that I had friends, and in the circumstances under which I'd left, I had no idea what was going on right now. I didn't even know what time it was.

"They're waving us to stop." Brian said as we approached the airport fence from the service road. I looked sharply in the vehicle lights. It was a chain link fence, and there were no concrete barriers. We could ram through it, but what about when we got close to the plane? Then I felt something inside my head and almost let out a shout of joy.

"RAM THE FENCE AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" I shouted aloud. "WEAPONS OUT! BE READY TO RETURN FIRE!"

Brian slammed the accelerator as we sped forward and I crammed my feelings of joy, and desperation into that little knot in my head that was 'Michael Rogers', thanking God over and over again for the miracle that had created his unique bonding. As we drove past excited guards who were diving out of the way, I leaned forward and turned to the right, the closest door, taking aim through the rolled down window, firing two rounds at the officer screaming into a radio. The first one missed, but the second hit him in the throat. We were well past the post before any of them recovered enough to return fire. Neil, who was sitting next to me on that side just stared at me with wide eyes.

There was a pinging sound, and I recognized the stuttering fire of M-16's. Brian had spotted our plane and was heading towards it while the guards who'd been ringing the plane opened fire at us, turning their backs on the plane. I prayed that Michael Rogers had gotten the message I'd been sending.

He had.

The forward and aft doors of the plane opened at the same time, and the muzzle flashes from them were brief. I knew those shots would be aimed at the snipers. Rappelling ropes flew from the aft door, and the aft door on the far side of the plane and dark shapes shot down from them. Muzzle flashes shot from the doors again, and several of the troops who had turned to fire at our vehicle fell. Then a cargo bay door opened and two anti-tank missiles streaked towards the terminal where reinforcements were streaming out to reinforce those on guard duty. The rockets destroyed the entrance and those near it, cutting off the support of those on guard duty. Brian headed the vehicle towards the ladder connected to the now open forward door.

There were over twenty four guards on duty around the plane, and they faced eight Seals and Special Forces now on the tarmac, and eight more firing from the doors and cargo bay of the plane itself. They didn't stand a chance against my men. By the time we reached the door, the firefight was winding down. Almost no more bullets hit the vehicle and as we came to a stop, the familiar figures of Darby and Knight streamed down the ladder, pistols in hand.

"OUT!" I shouted. "GET THE KIDS OUT OF THE BACK AND GET ON BOARD!"

People piled out of the vehicle then, and Darby and Knight tensed, but did not shoot when they saw me coming out. They winced when they saw my bloody chest and face but showed no other reaction. Everyone from the vehicle except Neil, who I'd held at my side with a firm grip, were getting the kids out and I saw Darby and Knight's eyes grow wide at the sight of the six shrouded figures.

"Get everyone on the plane!" I ordered to the two sailors. They nodded and motioned everyone up. I pushed Neil ahead of me and followed them up. I was about halfway up when I turned around something gnawing at my gut, screaming for me to watch out. That was when I saw a dark figure, outlined by a reflection of the vehicle's headlights, crouching and pointing a rifle towards me. I didn't hesitate, raising my pistol and opening fire. The first few rounds fell short at that distance, near the maximum effective range for the pistol, but the next three hit, just as a stutter of fire from further aft of the plane also hit the man. Then I was caught by a wave of dark figures rushing up the ladder, and the feel of my circle ran through them.

"GET YOUR FUCKING ASS ON BOARD NOW!" Paul shouted in a rage I'd never heard before. I didn't have a chance to comply because he and the giant Hollings lifted me and carried me up the rest of the way between them. They threw me in a chair in the conference room and I noticed that my five newest bonded were sitting there, as was Neil and Jeremy. The shrouded kids were nowhere to be seen, and Hegel and Roerich were standing there, pointing their pistols at Neil and Jeremy, both of whom looked scared."

"We've got him on board!" Paul yelled after picking up the phone, and the plane's engines could faintly be heard rushing to life.

"Prepare for emergency take-off!" Colonel Haywood's voice was stressed as he yelled over the speaker system. "Get those fucking doors closed!"

"Are you injured?" Paul asked me as he turned back around to face me, keeping his balance as the plane swung through a tight turn. He was staring at my bloody chest and face, blood which had now congealed.

"Not a scratch." I whispered and he stared at me.

"You left here, a fucking prisoner for all I knew, supposedly under this fucker's control and you come back with your tail on fire, covered in blood that's not yours, just as the entire fucking Salt Lake City airwaves start shrieking with what sounds like banshees yelling at each other and all you have to say is 'not a scratch'?" Paul's voice became higher and higher pitched as he ranted, and I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Don't even get me started on how I've got several United States Officers and civilians tied up in the guest cabin, all of whom are going to want me gutted for treason!"

"Paul, shut up." I said softly and he stared at me hard. "I'm fine, I'm not under control. Jeremy's my friend, and he's gifted just like me. We can't control each other, but what we are, it's different. Thanks to him, the Prophet is dead, along with his entire command structure. Get us in the air and a safe distance away, but don't land anywhere. Keep the officers and professor locked up. As soon as Jeremy's rested a bit, he'll start working on the memories of everyone who's not bonded, except of course on Tim and Sandy. They know how to keep their mouths shut. Oh yeah, the six kids in the shrouds? Stick them in the guest cabin. Once we've gotten the officers out and professors out, unchain them and get those shrouds off of them. Make sure they have decent clothes and get them calmed down. They're gifted as well so no one who is not bonded is to enter that cabin once they're unchained, and they most definitely are not to be allowed out."

"Dylan, I can take care of your people's memories now." Jeremy said, standing up. Everyone's weapons had been lowered. "What do you want them to think?"

"They were knocked out by the gas and had bad reactions to it." I said tiredly. "I, um, have them think they have headaches or something and are sick to the stomachs when they wake up. The symptoms last four hours after they wake up and um, have them sleep for another hour. Tell them to go to their cabins, go to sleep and when they wake up, they feel sick. Hegel, take him back there. Paul, make sure that things work right. I'm exhausted."

"Okay, Dylan." Paul said in a soft voice. "What about Killmer?"

"What did you do to him?" I asked worriedly. "He was supposed to tell you I was okay."

"He did, but he got hit in the leg during the firefight." Paul explained and I got a worried look on my face. "It's not bad but he's in pain. The bullet missed anything vital."

"Stop the bleeding, knock him out, and put him in Holt's room" I said. "Oh, and Paul you were right. The little bitch they had bonded him during that first meeting."

"Next time listen to me." Paul said simply before leaving. We were heading into the air now. I could feel the plane rumbling and bucking as we approached top speed and headed out. The pilots would have to be taken care before they spilled the beans. I wondered how much they knew, and didn't know.

"Tim took care of the pilots." Michael Rogers said as he came into the room.

"What did he do?" I asked.

"After you were gone, we got in there and found the gas had gotten them too." Rogers said. "Tim did a touch thing and told them to stay in the cockpit, only remembering they'd been gassed and when they came to you were gone. He told them they shouldn't leave the cockpit in case you came back."

"What time is it?" I asked tiredly.

"0300 local." Darby answered from where he stood, watching the people still at the table cautiously. "I bet this is going to be some story."

"I don't believe it myself." I muttered, just as the phone rang on the conference table. Mary Collins came in at that moment with a large carafe of coffee and began to pour me a cup when Knight handed me the phone.

"Jacobs." I said into it automatically.

"This is Colonel Haywood." The pilot's voice was rough. "Look, the skies are clear and the radio chatter cleared up about the time we started rolling. We just got a call asking us to stand by for a transmission from the Provisional Command. There's no air traffic and no chatter now. Do you want us to bug out or circle?"

"Circle." I said immediately. "Oh, and get on the radio to wherever our support planes are. Tell them to roll as soon as they can. Oh, and scrounge up a news crew to come in with them if they can."

"You sure?" He asked me.

"I'm sure, Colonel." I answered. "Also, before I forget, get Alabama too. I need a videoconference with the President in three hours. It needs to be encrypted, max security and tell him to have my favorite two friends of his there as well. He'll know what that means, and Colonel, you push whatever buttons you have to but make sure you speak with my dad directly, even if he's still asleep. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." Colonel Haywood said immediately. I hung up the phone and let out a sigh. I didn't have long though before it buzzed again.

"Sorry to bother you so quickly, but there's a very worried sounding man calling himself General Dillard requesting to speak with you." Colonel Haywood was sounding exasperated now.

"Patch him through." I ordered, waiting for the click of the patched call to sound. "This is Dylan Jacobs."

"This is General Dillard, the, uh, the provisional commander of Utah, sir." The man's voice did indeed sound worried. "Uh, on, uh, behalf of the uh, people of, uh, Utah, I'd, uh, like to apologize for any, uh, trouble you experienced, and, uh request that you, uh consider returning to complete the uh, talks regarding, our, uh, surrender?"

"There is no surrender here, General." I said in total exhaustion. "Utah's a part of the United States. We just have to make sure that everyone remembers that."

"Uh, yes sir." The man said and I wondered if he knew he was speaking to a fourteen year old kid.

"General, my plane needed to spread its wings for a few hours." I said, in case anyone was hearing this besides us. "That's all. Once the pilot figures out he hasn't forgotten how to fly, we'll be back on the ground. There'll be a few planes coming in from your friendly neighbors as well. You guys were real nice to give me ride back to the airport, but I don't want you wasting any more of your fuel. There's no need to send any aircraft up to show us the way, either. We're quite familiar with how to get here. No need to test any of your ground radars either. Our radars work fine."

"Understood sir." The man's voice actually sounded relieved. "Uh, what time should we expect you?"

"My pilot will call you before any aircraft land." I said. "They'll make arrangements from there. You can also talk to my officers regarding when I'll be available. Jacobs out."

I hung up immediately, looking through blurry eyes at the people around me. I figured out from the twin brown heads standing near me that Knight and Darby were nearby. I sighed, tried to stand, but found I was far too weak to even do that.

"I'm going to sleep right here." I mumbled as a black tidal wave rushed through me. "Can someone tell Haywood what I told him and make sure I wake up before we land and before my conference with dad. I really need a…"

I never finished because I was passed out, dead to the world around me.