ShadowChancer
Chapter 8
by MistThing, published on February 19, 2001
Grace's visual field was a hazy red narrow tunnel. She was only vaguely conscious ... Gabriel was sprawled on the floor nearby; she couldn't tell his situation. Wade's ice-cold fingers seized her lower jaw, manipulating her face in his direction.
-"Grace..." - his voice was clear inside her head, driving everything else out - "It *can* get worse, you know ... I could ask China to boost up just a little this paralyzing terror you're feeling ... I could mix in some pain, same as the treatment your friend is getting over there..." - he laughed wryly, answering her unspoken question - "Oh, yes, he *is* alive ... for now."
Grace wasn't able to resist even if she tried. Ah ... sh*t ... get it ... over with ...
-"I gladly would, Grace, if you remove that shield from your mind and stop resisting me," Wade responded to the thought that went through Grace's mind.
-"I'm ... not..." - Grace muttered faintly - "Stop ... Please..."
-"You're playing games with me, Grace..." - His tone was impassive - "Open your mind..."
Grace felt as if Wade's icy fingers were probing her brain, and she screamed in pain - - -
There was a sudden, slight relief ... Grace moved weakly on the floor. He let go of her face for some reason. She heard a new voice ... a female's voice. It was somehow familiar...
-"What are you doing here, Barricade?" - Grace thought she heard Wade say that aloud.
-"I gathered you needed my help, Mind Draft" - the new voice answered Wade.
-"I didn't call you in here, Barricade. An emotion-caster and a mind-reader are more then enough for these two. Your mental shield is not needed in here."
-"Oh, but I think it IS." - The woman called Barricade stepped inside, facing Wade and Seline.
Grace felt an abrupt relief of the pain and anxiety, and managed to straighten herself up. Gabriel stirred and opened his eyes, turning his head to look for Grace. Grace recognized Barricade's voice. She was the mysterious caller to Bruce's apartment last night, looking for Spark...
-"Oh ... I see." Wade sounded amused. "You're one of the ... mutineers, Sara ... I'm disappointed."
Grace crawled to Gabriel, caressing his face. "You've got to get up" - she whispered - "Get the hell up!"
Sara - Barricade - didn't answer Wade Parker but only stood rigidly, her gaze locked into his. She was shielding me from Wade a few minutes ago, gathered Grace, Wade was mistaken, thinking it was me blocking him ...
-"You can't take us both, Sara Mattews" - Wade smiled darkly. China was standing by his side.
-"But I can hold you back long enough" - Sara replied through fastened teeth.
-"Are they worth it, Sara?" - Wade and China stared intensely at Barricade.
-"GO! NOW!" - Barricade / Sara shouted at Gabriel and Grace without looking in their direction, her eyes fixed on her rivals ahead.
Gabriel pulled himself up, squeezing Grace's hand in his. They ran for the door.
-"Wait" - Grace stopped, casting a look at Barricade - "What about you? Where do we go?"
Barricade's - Sara's - nose started a slight bleeding, but she didn't raise her hand to wipe the narrow trickle. "Forget about me" - she called - "You know where to go, Grace ... GO! "
Gabriel pulled Grace's hand forcefully, dragging her out of the room, slamming the door behind them. "You can't help her, Grace!" - he shouted as they rushed down the stairs - "She chose to do it, and she can't hold on much longer!"
They stormed out of the main building and towards the gate. It was late evening already ... It seemed that nobody alerted the guards yet, but they glanced suspiciously at the running, panting couple.
-"Editor's orders!" - Gabriel yelled at the guards - To be somewhere else, ASAP!"
Nobody tried to stop them ... Gabriel and Grace made it to the street and kept running, Gabriel dragging Grace forcefully behind him. They finally stopped. It took them some long minutes to gain their breath back.
-"What did Sara mean, Grace?" - asked Gabriel - "Do you know where we should go from here?"
-"I think so ... Not exactly" - replied Grace. She strode up the foreign street, the darkness making it difficult for her to identify their whereabouts. She suddenly stopped, amazed. "F*ck me..." - she said.
-"Uh ... NOW, Grace?" - Gabriel couldn't resist.
Grace ignored that one ... She walked towards a bright square of light up ahead.
-"I think I'm gonna have some coffee, Gabriel" - she said - "ever been to a cybercafe?"
Last update: October 25, 2007
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