Skin Deep

Phoebe nodded to Sam as she took off from behind the cover of trees and went right into the open towards her sister and her captor.

“Hand’s off my sister jerkoff!” Phoebe boldly shouted at Dan trying to get attention on her as Sam snuck around the back.

“I was wondering when you would show up, it is a bit earlier than I expected.” Dan answered without any emotion on his face.

Phoebe stared him down waiting to judge what his move would be. “So, you going to let her go or what?” She questioned with a curious interest. Stepping closer and preparing herself for battle.

“Nope. I can take you as well, a telepath and the key of power that is a sweet deal.” Dan smiled evilly.

“I bloody love how you all act like I ain’t here.” Irene finally spoke up.

“Ahh my pet, we know you’re here, but your time is not yet, so be a good lady and remain quiet in the background ok?” Dan chuckled as his grip tightened on Irene.

“I am no one’s pet, and I will not be silent.” Irene hissed fury growing within her. She held back from any outburst of power to protect her secret of training and to keep the element of surprise. Then suddenly there was a grunt as a lackey of Dan’s was thrown out of the car and to the ground, an yelp from Sam and then another guy was shoved out of the car, finally the driver got out to check on his friends. The battle had now began.

“Last chance, let us all go and we spare your pathetic hides, or well face us, it’s your funeral.” Phoebe stated calmly brushing invisible dust from her sleeve for effect.

“Ha, like you three could really take us four. You remember Brandon and Bryce from before I’m sure, and that’s DJ,” he points to a guy who looks like he ought to be a bouncer, bald with several tattoos.

“Still care to take this on little ladies, the battle field is no place for beauty really.” he runs his hand over Irene’s cheek. She flinches away but doesn’t go all out yet.

“No we got this.” Sam states simply taking a fighting stance and looking towards DJ “Ready to go big boy?” The two begin in a sparring match and everyone is focused on their movements for a moment before they realize they had better focus.

“Now let me go!” Irene shouts slamming her foot on Dan’s shin gaining enough freedom from that movement to break free she removes the blindfold to take him down. Phoebe decides to use this time to read the mind feed from the other two, Bryce and Brandon. She finds their weak point that causes pain, and twist it making them stop moving and fall to their knees. Brandon quickly recovers however blocking the mind control and gets back up.

“Block her you idiot!” Shouts Brandon to Bryce as he steadies himself to attack go after Phoebe. Phoebe is stunned by his resistance and has some trouble keeping her hold on Bryce while he is figuring her trick. She needed a bit more training she supposed. She took a new route, searching for the emotional pain, that would send him into a world all his own and take him down. Unfortunately Brandon was too quick knocking Phoebe physically to the ground and taking her mind completely off the task she was focused on.

Meanwhile Sam was doing a decent job sparring, but really she was not much of a match for DJ. He was tough, she could dodge him but she wasn’t sure how to take him down. For the time being her plan was wear him out, because if he got a hold on her she was done, and she knew it. She mentally cursed at herself for not insisting on brining the guys.

Irene was in a staring match with Dan while everything else was happening. Each was waiting for the other to make a move. Neither wanting to be the first and therefor expose some sort of weakness, or perhaps hidden strength that would come in handy. Irene sighed and took a leap towards Dan then did a quick left movement and a sweep kick, taking him by surprise and knocking him off his feet.

“You know the gentleman should make the first move, oh wait there’s no gentlemen here…” Irene provoked as she quickly got back to her feet and prepared herself for another attack.

Dan scoffed at the remark as he quickly regained his composure. “Perhaps, but I have learned not to underestimate you, it won’t happen again.”

“We’ll just see about that,” Irene replied smugly again swiftly moving in his direction sending a blow towards his left side, however he was quicker still this time blocking the kick, and clutching her ankle pulling her to the ground. Irene growled lightly in frustration preparing herself for a real battle now.
Dan spun around to face her as she got on her feet, “It would be a shame to hurt such beauty,” he said trailing a hand over her face, “so give up now and you wont be hurt, physically at least.”

“I will never give up,” Irene hissed pushing his hand away, “I will fight for what is right, until I can’t fight anymore.”

“Ahhh but what is right, and what are you fighting for?” Dan questioned gazing deep into her eyes trying to put a trance on her, Irene felt the penetration of her mind she felt the sleepiness pushing in and was trying to fight it. “Do you even know what you are fighting, why you are fighting, why all the frustration, it could be rather easy if you just give me a hand here.” He smiled sweetly trying to lull her into his trance. Irene pushed herself out of the trance roughly causing her to fall to the ground.

She shook her head it was like feeling dizzy after getting of an extremely spinny ride at an amusement park. She tried to regain compusure and block her mind. She felt him pushing at it. She decided to trick him out and give him access to false memories, making him think he was somewhere vital when really he was searching fake images she planted. It would give her time to think. She glanced around, Sam was still in brutal combat with the big guy, while Pheebs, well she didn’t see Pheebs. This concerned her but her concern stopped when she realized Dan was hovering over her ready to pin her down. Irene quickly rolled left and Dan just missed her. He then lunged toward her again only to be repelled by her shield. She couldn’t hold it back she needed it now.

Meanwhile Phoebe was nearby, but she was down on her knees behind a bush trying to focus her mental energies on attacking Bryce and Brandon. She was teleporting objects like branches and rocks towards them as well as trying to attack their minds but they had a decent block on them now so it was increasingly difficult. She shifted sending several spirals projectiles flying one at each guy out there. All except DJ blocked but well at least she was able to help Sam out. DJ fell over and Sam took this opportunity to lay it to him hitting the pressure points causing him to lose consciousness.

Phoebe continued to send a few projectiles but her mind was growing weak as her mind was beginning to throb and she felt her own concentration becoming weaker. She willed herself to stay strong her sister and friend needed her, but she was fading fast. Sam saw this and was torn whether to go after Brandon and Bryce, help Irene who seemed to be struggling herself, or rush to Phoebe who was on her last limits. Bryce beat her to the decision by lungung towards her knocking Sam off her feet.

Phoebe with her last bit of concentration pushed all her mind power into taking Brandon down. He fell to his knees crying out in pain as she penetrated his mental shield pinching the worst memories as he relieved them. He was stuck in these memories to no escape. Phoebe felt herself fading fast, and with her last effort she sent a cry almost a whimper to Aiden, “please hurry.” Phoebe then slumped over fading in and out of consciousness aware of what was going on but unable to do anything about it.

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Various profanities slipped past Aiden’s lips at the cry of Phoebe. Micah and Dylan looked at him in shock and slight worry, he was not the profanity type.

“-so?” Dylan decided to break the silence that had fallen.

“They are in, deep. The odds do not look good, Phoebe just blacked out from exhaustion. Sam is taking on a group of rather large guys, and Irene is one on one with Dan, and from what I can tell it wasn’t going fantastic for our team before we lost a player. Although they lost one too. But it’s still unevenly matched and they need out help, so let’s stop yammering and get there.” Aiden took off in a slight job not wanting to overexert but wanting to hurry this along. Micah and Dylan followed, agreeing with the not wanting to waste time thing.

Micah stopped for just a moment was reflecting on the most recent information and felt a grim tug in his mind. This was not boding well. But it was perhaps the way it was meant to be. He rushed after his companions hoping they were not to late, but fearing it was already past that. Then feeling the remorse what kind of guardians were they if they could not protect the ones they guarded.

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Irene sighed heavily as she landed from dodging another attack of Dan’s. Even invisible he could still sense and attack her. This was not going well at all. She had noted Phoebe being out of the game, Sam was working down Bryce but seemed to be tiring. And Brandon seemed to be fighting his way out of his mental torture. As Irene was watching all this and her team failing miserably, or at least she worried so she called out “Wait!” As she made herself reappear and Dan stood off for a second eyebrow raised. “If I go with you, will you leave Phoebe and Sam out of this?”

“Rene NO!” Sam cried out furiously as Bryce grabbed a hold of her around the middle, shushing her and slamming her against himself.

“Sam, I need you guys, I need you safe. I can’t do anything with out you, and-well I need to do this.” Irene sputtered her words out not even making much sense in her head. She tried to be honest but she thought if she left the girls now the guys would get here soon enough and help them, and she wasn’t worried about herself. They could even all of them come and get her after. Maybe this would even be enough stall time.

“I don’t know about stall time darling. You are all coming with us, conscious or not….” Dan read her thoughts she was not guarding in her mental confusion and tiredness.

“Well then, forget the deal, and bring it, because that is what I fight for Dan, I fight for them, for my friends.” Irene retorted, turning invisible and throwing the biggest rocks she could find his way.