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Time's Revenge
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CHAPTER NINE - BLOODSHED


‘Damn it!’ Lance thought inwardly. What was he going to do? Brian was dangerous. He had been a pain from the start and it seemed as if he was indestructible. After the incident with the time travel Lance and the other Gerai had at least thought that there could not be another one seeing as he would die. They had thought they could actually get B this time, but no. Brian had been alive the entire time and the most infuriating thing was that he had been in one of their own slave mines! They should have killed him when they had the chance then… but of course they had never realised who he was or how much of a problem he would be.

How the hell had he survived Jonathan’s explosion anyway? Lance had felt the floor shaking beneath his feet when that thing went off! He had expected him to be crushed to death by debris if the actual explosion didn’t kill him first. Now though Brian was back on his feet and probably to wreck havoc upon the plans of the Gerai. He had caused enough trouble for Lance already and his acting skills had been put to the true test when Darren had interrogated him about his ‘uncle’. Lance had tried his hardest to appear tearful and pathetic as he snivelled his lies at the older man. He seemed to performed well though as Darren had given him the benefit of the doubt, but he knew that he was no longer fully trusted. He had noticed the security guards that secretly shadowed him throughout most of the day no matter how discreet they tried to be. Lance knew he was being watched.

After Brian had miraculously recovered Lance had been intending to finish what Jonathan had started, but he was under too much surveillance. Then Brian had skipped off in search of B. Lance only hoped that Jonathan had beaten him to it. No one had said anything about him coming back with B, so perhaps he had failed. He snickered slightly to himself. B was probably already suffering from the virus symptoms. It would have been easy for Jonathan to take him.

Now though, there was a problem. Lance had not dared to contact the Gerai in case he was caught and he almost certainly would be with the increased security about the base. All of the major areas were now swarming with people. Usually they were very quiet at certain times of the day which is when Lance had been using them, but now there were constant guards.

He had no choice though. He had to tell his people of this new development. Brian was alive and well and was plotting against them. It was only a matter of time before they began a rescue mission.

In his own room he tucked a dagger, two knives and two guns into his belt. He thought for a moment before concealing an additional knife on his leg. He doubted if he would get out of this base alive, but he would certainly die fighting. He gulped slightly, his hands trembling at his imminent death.

‘Run away!’ something screamed at him. ‘Run away!’

He bit his lip and then shook his head to dispel the thought. The Gerai had to know.

He slipped through the corridors, shoulders hunched and steps slow so that he did not draw attention to himself. It was not long before he reached the main communications room. He peered inside and saw four people inside. Usually there would only have been a maximum of two.

He withdrew for a moment and then pulled his favourite gun from his belt. He checked the settings and took a deep breath. Stepping into the doorway again, he fired two quick shots before they had even seen him.

“Lance?” one of them stuttered. “How - ”

Lance shot her down before she had even finished the question. The fourth though would not fall so easily. He was a tall man and he yanked a gun from his own belt before firing.

Lance screamed as the shot his hand and his own gun clattered uselessly to the ground. He growled at the older man before whipping out one of his knives and thrusting it up into the man’s belly, turning it to cause even more damage. The security guard gave a quiet groan of pain as the blood dribbled from his mouth. He stared up at Lance in horror before the younger man brought the blade down upon his throat.

Lance smiled. Phase one was complete. He checked the other three bodies. He had fired well. The first two shots had killed two people instantly but the third was twitching slightly. As he had done with the fourth, lance dealt them steel across the exposed throat.

He locked the door to the room and then immediately crossed to the communications panel. He did not have time to send messages as he normally did. He would have to try a direct conversation.

He tapped upon a few controls and waited for a response. After a few moments there was a small blip from the screen in front of him. He pressed a panel and a fuzzy image appeared. Despite the static, Lance could still make out the familiar form of his commander, the one who was leading the renewed attack upon the resistance.

“Lance?” the blurred face asked. “We have not heard from you in a while!” He seemed pleased to fins his favourite agent alive.

“I have to be quick, Commander,” Lance panted urgently. “They’re on to me.”

The smile faded from the man’s mouth as he became serious. “Jonathan thought you might be discovered. I hear that Littrell is alive as well. Jon told us about the time travel escapade of little Littrell Jr and that his father had followed him. You’ll be pleased to hear that we have the boy now, and the brother.”

Lance could feel his face heating in rage. He slammed his fists down upon the console. It was all Brian’s fault. Why did he have to survive? Couldn’t he do them all a favour and just die quietly for once? “Fucking Brian Littrell spouted everything! I talked myself out of it, but they’re still watching me like hawks! There’s security everywhere and I had to kill four people just to send this!”

The commander nodded. “Kill Littrell,” he said simply. “We want him dead, he’s been of too much trouble and he gave Jonathan a few problems trying to get B.”

Lance nodded in understanding. He was rather honoured to be given this task. He would be a hero among the Gerai if he managed to murder the one who had caused them so much grief. “I will, but I have to tell you something else as well. When Brian came back he also brought his younger self from the past back with him! There’s two of them!”

The commander froze. “Two? You’re certain?”

“Yes! And they’re planning a rescue mission.”

The commander was silent as the thoughts processed the new information he was being given. “Don’t kill the younger one, under any circumstances. It would alter the time line and we’d lose the boy. Kill the older one any way you want, but leave the younger. Got it?”

A part of him was slightly disappointed that he would only get to kill one of them, but he would make sure it was a good kill. “It will be dealt with.”

“Good. Now, can you get out of there alive?” Lance knew that normally that the former commanders of the Gerai had not been bothered by losses of spies or single members, but now there were so few of them left that they had to be more careful.

“I don’t know,” Lance confessed. “I’ll do my best to kill Littrell and then I’ll make a run for it.”

“You won’t have much time. You probably won’t make it out of there alive,” the commander said, his tone unreadable.

Lance was beginning to feel colder with dread every moment. He had never wanted to die. He would rather cut a thousand throats then let someone kill him. Now though his end was ominously close to its brutal end. “I can try.”

“Would you be willing to stay and help us out?”

Lance gulped. “How?”

“You have grenade charges don’t you? I know you were given some when you left our base originally. Plant them about the base and set the timers to go off in forty six hours. We were planning an attack on the base and it will make it easier if there is sabotage. Will you do it?”

Lance slowly nodded. He wanted to run as fast as he could, but he knew that he would not, not after everything he had already done. If he could finish his work here he would die happy. “Okay.”

“Good and plant a bug in their computer. We want to try and remote access it.”

Lance nodded. “I already did that, but you won’t get very far.”

The commander laughed slightly. “Oh I think we will. We have some help this time.”

Lance smiled as well. They were doing well so far, even though he might die soon. “I better get started. I’ll do what I can before they catch me.”


* * * * * * *


Bri stumbled into his room and ran tense fingers through his matted hair as he gazed about the room. He had avoided returning to this room every night since he had discovered what had happened to B. It felt terribly empty and wrong without B. He knew he would never be able to sleep without the knowledge that B was sleeping safely in the next bed. He had always worried about him. He seemed to spend a lot of time worrying about him. B always seemed so fragile, he needed someone to worry about him.

Glumly he stared about the room, still cluttered and strewn with B’s belongings and clothes. He had always been messy. It had always annoyed Bri but now he only wished that B was here messing the place up even more. At least he would be safe. He slowly picked up one of B’s fluffy jumpers from the floor and sat down upon his bed still holding it close. He held it tight to his chest, wishing that it could have been B.

He sniffed miserably. At least he would be going on the rescue mission soon, but his heart was terrified at what it might find at that base. He did not now know how the Gerai were treating him.

It was all his fault. He should not have argued with B all the time. He could still recall their last argument, B’s frightened eyes and his own loud voice as he’d shouted at him. He lowered his head and cradled the jumper. “I’m sorry B,” he whispered.

He glanced up and saw the usual photographs watching him with laughing and cheerful faces. It was proof into a hidden life that Bri no longer possessed. With the misery flooding his soul now he could hardly believe that once he had smiled at all.

He stared hard at one photograph with all three of them together. Sammy had his arm around his brother and Bri could only pray that he was protecting him now. He had to bring them both back safely. He would never be able to live if he did not.

He lie down slowly, the jumper still clasped in his arms. “Hang on in there boys,” he whispered to himself. “I’m coming.”

He closed his eyes and nuzzled his damp face against the pillows. He was trembling as he felt the emptiness of the room pressing in about him. Silently he began to cry, B’s words from their last meeting echoing in his skull.

‘I hate you.’

He pulled the covers over him as if it could somehow muffle the stabbing pain inside of him. There was a huge hole just waiting to swallow him up in his chest. He was so busy thinking about it that he did not hear the soft footsteps of someone creeping stealthily into his room.

He did not realise anything was wrong until someone pounced upon him with a knife blade held out.


* * * * * * *


Brian had his arms clasped across his chest as he walked alone down the empty corridor. He felt sick and empty inside. Last time he had been here there was always Sammy or B walking or talking with him, but now they were not here. Somehow he had to find a way to save them and he did not know how…

It seemed so long ago now that he had seen them. Even the past few weeks he had spent with B seemed to have receded until they were years away. He gulped slightly, his throat thick and clotted with clogging tears.

He wanted to see the adult Sammy again. It had always stung him deeply in his chest that he would not get to see his blonde little angel grow up into a caring and clever adult. He had wanted to see him again and when B had appeared he had hoped there would be a chance to spend time with both of them, but there wasn’t. Even the time he had spent with B had not been cheerful while the boy had been plagued by illness and guilty despair.

He had felt so leaden with melancholy after leaving Tessa. Somehow seeing other people’s misery over B and Sammy’s kidnapping made him realise how wonderful they both were. Everyone loved them and that only made him more proud of them, but it also made him realise that they were not here anymore.

Suddenly he felt something plunging into his stomach. It was cold and painful and he gasped as he sunk to his knees. He was frightened. Painful fear was jolting through him and he found himself staring madly about him to look for his attacker.

The corridor was empty.

He trembled and wrapped his arms about him and then something ripped across his right arm startling a cry from his lips. He stared down at his arm, expecting to see a gash there which had broken the skin. Instead there was nothing. He ran a finger over the part where the pain had struck. It had felt as if something had cut into his skin.

He glanced bout the corridor with nervous eyes. Someone was attacking him. There was a burning instinct to fight back, but there was no one here. He slowly stood up, still clasping his arm to his chest. What was happening? He had felt it, he had felt pain and his mind was screaming at him to fight or run against his attacker.

But there wasn’t an attacker.

He placed a hand to his head. “Bri?” he whispered. He could feel it. His older self was in danger. He stared at his arm. Bri was hurt and he was being attacked.

Brian began to run, adrenaline pumping through his veins madly. Hatred was gone and now all he felt was the unstoppable instinct that he must help him. Panic was rushing to engulf him in overwhelming waves that sent shudders along his back.

He had thought that the base was a maze that he would never learn to navigate, but now he found that he knew exactly where to go. Something deep inside was leading him to exactly where he needed to go.

He turned into another rocky corridor and stumbled madly through it, bumping into someone as he did. He ignored their startled cry and continued to run. His heart seemed to be trying to escape from his chest in a frenzy of incessant and irregular beats.

He was worried. Sickness was rippling in his stomach as if a snake had slithered into his body. He was worried about Bri. Before he had wanted to kill him, but now he was sickly scared for his safety.

He stopped in the middle of a corridor and stared about him to see that doors lined the walls. It was just like the corridor where his own room was situated. He turned about him in a circle, not knowing which room was Bri’s. He froze as he turned to one of them. Something seemed to quiver inside of him. That one.

He rushed towards the door and did not even hesitate to open it. Something was happening here, he knew it. Bri was in danger.

Bri was backed into the corner of the room, clutching one arm to his chest. Advancing upon him was a scrawny looking teenager with blonde hair who Brian recognised as Lance. In one hand he held a vicious looking knife.

“Brian!” Bri cried, his voice betraying his thankfulness. “Second draw down!” he snapped, pointing to a chest of drawers just beside him.

Brian was still staring at Lance and then suddenly he saw the blood dribbling from a deep knife gash on his arm. He stared down at his own arm where he had felt the pain. It was in the exact same spot.

“Brian!” Bri screamed.

Brian jerked his gaze away from his twin just in time to see Lance as he stared at him with malevolent eyes. He suddenly leapt at him and Brian did not have time to move before something sharp slit into the top of his arm. He gave a startled cry as he fell back, clutching the bleeding wound with his hands.

“Stay out of this!” Lance snapped. “You’re not the one I’m here to kill!”

“You’re not killing anyone!” Bri replied as he threw himself into the younger man.

Lance gave a roar of rage as he turned but Bri was already knocking him to the ground, trying to pin his arms behind him so that he would be unable to stab him with his knife.

Sharp pain was ripping up Brian’s arm. There was blood pouring out of the wound and staining the floor beneath his feet. He could hardly move it anymore.

Bri gave a strangled cry as Lance pushed strongly against his arms so that his knife hand was free. He slashed forward with the blade, narrowly missing Bri’s throat.

Brian gritted his teeth and tried to force the pain away. He fell down beside the struggling pair as Lance made another attempt to get Bri’s throat. He frantically reached out and tried to pin Lance’s arms back to prevent him from murdering Bri.

“Second draw!” Bri cried. “There’s a laser there!”

Lance gave a grunt as he turned the blade slightly in his hand and Brian screamed as the side of the knife slit into the back of his hand. Instinctively he drew away and then Lance’s knife hand was free. He gave a triumphant smile as he lashed forward and plunged the blade into Bri’s chest, emitting a strangle gasp of agony from the older man.

“NO!” Brian screamed as he saw Bri groan and slump to the floor. He stared in horror at his motionless twin and something deep was suddenly filling him. Tears were spurting into his eyes as he suddenly realised the connection they held. There may have been a deep hatred brewing between them like a storm, but now he realised that there was something else as well, something that bounded them together with all emotions.

He struggled to grab the handle of the drawer but suddenly Lance was grabbing his arms and pulling him back with a strength that Brian would never have imagined the thin boy had.

“No, you don’t!” Lance hissed as he dragged Brian away from the drawer before throwing him to the floor. “I can’t have you running off and telling people before I’ve escaped!”

Brian struggled and twisted against Lance’s hands before stretching out and kicking his aggressor on the knee.

“Fuck!” Lance screeched as he automatically released him. “Argh!” The knife suddenly slid from his hands.

Bri was still not moving at all and Brian could not even see if he was breathing. He bent down and reached out for the knife.

“No!” Lance snapped.

Suddenly something hard struck his head. Brian gave a cry before he turned and tried to give Lance a blow from of his own fist but it hurt to move his arm and there was still blood dribbling down his skin.

Lance snickered as he seized both of Brian’s hands and his eyes took in the tears that streamed down Brian’s face. “Aaww, you scared and tearful because you’ve just seen your own death?”

His death… Bri was him…

He could feel that his face had grown cold and Lance laughed again as Brian’s wild eyes stared at him. The younger man kicked his knee up and Brian screamed as a burning and thumping pain suddenly assaulted his groin. He gasped and sunk to his knees and then Lance’s fist was hitting his face again. Pain was screaming over his cheeks and head. He was still recovering from the bruises Bri had given to him and now he was being dealt a new set.

Brian gave a groan of pain as another fist hit him hard. There was a crack inside of his mouth like a piece of rock splitting and then a new pain seized his mouth as the nerves began to squeal madly at the chipped tooth. He could taste blood on his lips.

Lance was still smaller than Brian, but he could not fight back enough with a bad arm and the shuddering fear about Bri.

Lance smiled. “Just because I’m not allowed to kill you doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun!” He lashed forward with his fist and Brian somehow found himself ducking just in time.

Lance was suddenly unbalanced slightly after expecting to hit Brian again. Brian weakly reached out and grabbed the younger man’s leg and yanking it our from beneath him.

Lance gave a cry as he hit the floor and Brian saw his eyes close in surprised pain. Brian did not look back as he crawled with aching limbs, pain burning every part of his body. His hand grabbed the handle of the drawer and he pulled it to see a small laser inside. His hand managed to claps it before Lance was upon him again. His arms viciously dug into Brian’s waist and spun him around before he punched him in the stomach. Crippling pain burst like a pulsating wart to flood him with agony. He madly floundered out with his hand and lance screamed as Brian managed to strike him hard with the side of the laser.

As Lance fell Brian fiddled with the trigger, the room was suddenly blurred as hot pain filled his face. It was as if flames had encased his head. He aimed vaguely at Lance and then squeezed. There was a flash of green light and then Lance groaned.

Brian blinked to see that Lance was lying still on the floor. He stared down at the laser and then dropped it before limping to Bri’s side, trying to ignore the fiery pain that had consumed the lower part of his body. He was lying face down and Brian felt numbingly sick as he saw the blood that splattered his twin’s clothes.

“Bri?” he whispered. “Bri?”

There was a faint groan and Bri twitched slightly. Brian gently slipped his hands around his chest to try and help him to turn over so that he could see how bad the wound was. His hands found wet and sticky clothing and there was a blockage rising up Brian’s throat at the feel.

“Bri?”

Bri’s eyes were closed, but he spoke in a faint voice. “I’m not dead, but ow…” He trailed off and rested his head against the floor. His face had turned yellow and blood stained the front of his blue shirt. Brian pressed a hand against the wound in the centre of his chest and Bri groaned again.

“Hold on,” Brian whispered. He grabbed his own t-shirt and began to tear a strip off. He pressed it hard onto the wound and stared at it. It did not seem to have pierced the heart, but had it struck one of the lungs or his windpipe? He was struggling to draw in ragged breaths.

“I’m okay,” he gasped. “It’s not so bad.” He took a deep breath and Brian listened fearfully, but at least he was breathing…

Brian clasped his hand with his own trembling fingers. “Hang on,” he said thickly. “I’ll get help. Just hang on.”



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