ROMANOGERS: PAST TO PRESENT

Chapter Twenty Three

Scarrlet's POV

My head was throbbing fiercely and I felt my body groan as I shifted slightly. I felt dry and somewhat clean. But I had been in the storm, I was unconscious, so how was I dry and warm? Maybe I was found by the team. No this felt different. My nerves flared in shock as my eyes snapped open. Everything was dark and nothing could be made out from the swirling mass of nothing. My breathing sped up angrily and I gasped desperately trying to fill my lungs. Thrashing I tried to sit up but something held my legs and arms down. Where am I? What's happening?
A deep throaty chuckle filled the seemingly empty space. It caused another spurt of panic to rocket through my veins.

"Relax." My gaze flicked about desperately trying to find the owner of the voice. I shuddered as I felt cold fingers brush against my forehead. It was a threatening touch disguised to be comforting. It was a warning. Squeezing my eyes shut I steadied my breathing and pulse. Maybe I can read him? Focusing what little concentration I had, I searched for his feelings but I found nothing. "Sorry, but your powers have been muted. Only temporarily of course. By the time I'm finished with you, you will be allowed free range to use them how you please. Until then you'll have to simply wait."

"Where am I?" I called hearing my voice echo loudly off into the dark. There was another nerve rattling laugh.

"No need to shout!" The man cackled before gathering himself. " You are somewhere but nowhere."

There was the sound of scraping metal and suddenly my skin crawled angrily. Pain flashed throughout my entire body searing me from the inside out. Screams tore through my throat unlike anything I had ever heard before. It was almost inhuman. It lasted for what felt like an eternity. Finally it stopped but I could not relax. It was like someone had paused me in place. My muscles were tense and my back was arched at an odd angle.

"That was only a test run dear. There will be more where that came from. Now, agent Brackham bring the screen in!" For the first time in what felt like forever I saw a small blinding crack of light that grew to reveal a doorway. In a way it was calming but at the same time it felt like I was trapped knowing that the door would shut, and I would be closed in on all sides. Soon a figure wheeled a large square contraption into my holding space. It looked scary and ominous causing my heart to sputter painfully. What had he done to me?

I was devastated when the light was once again shut out the screen's shape disappearing into the inky black. I closed my eyes trying to gather myself, I needed to concentrate but my mind was wrapped in a fog. Where am I? What happened in the storm? Think, try and remember how you got here.

Suddenly I was back under the raining sky. I fought see anything but I felt the splatter of rain pelt me. The sound of mud sucking on boots was close and loud. My body was picked up gruffly by the arms and legs.

"Take her! The others are close! Mount your bikes and scour ever last inch of this place! I want them found dead or alive, only leave the red head in tact! We'll need her for the overseer." The loud thrumming of engines faded into the class and roars of the storm. Cold and shivering I was half dragged through the mud. I tried to wake up but I couldn't, my body was running out of energy. Focusing I reached out towards the others. I was desperately trying to locate someone's aura. Some one flickered in my dark mind and I felt a short flicker of relief fill me. Of course it would be Natasha, she was always full of some sort of hurried emotion. Latching on I linked my emotions to hers. I could feel her stir and knew that she was taking notice of my efforts to contact her.

"Sir, her fingers are glowing!" The man who was carrying me called. "Should we sedate her? She's using her powers!"

"No, let's see who she's contacting. Contact Viper and tell him to wait in the surrounding area. There's been a change in plans." Fear gripped me. In my subconscious state I hadn't been able to control the extent of my power. My gut twisted viciously at what I had done. I may have just lead my friend to her death.