A Two Sided Coin

The next day, Carson waited on his bed for the others to file in and report. While he sat, he went over checklists of all he had done in preparation. As he was going down the list for the third time, a woman appeared in his room. He blinked, the only outward sign of him being startled. This woman looked to be in her twenties, with red hair and very scandalously dressed but as he looked at her, she changed into Alicia.

The girl scowled at him, "Man you don't startle easily! Anyways Kate and a couple of her friends are painting at the old couples house today. You should nab em now. They're out of public and who knows when a better chance will come?”

She paused when she saw he had raised an eyebrow at her comment, “Whatever it's your choice because you're the boss, but I'm just saying..."

Carson stopped her by raising his hand, and said, "Fine, where's Tyra? I can't stand the wait anymore."

Alicia blinked twice, then smirked, "She's waiting down stairs, seemed she knew you would say that. Just one last thing you should know. Tyra got close enough to have a quick lookie lou on their memories and her two friends, have powers. One's a powerful reader and the second can steal people's powers at a touch, they shouldn’t be too hard to handle but...”
She shrugged girlishly, “Talk to her about the rest."

With that Alicia was gone. Carson got up; already prepared, he exited the room and went down to the main floor of the hotel. He looked around until he spotted Tyra, waiting for him. He made a gesture for her to follow him. He held his questions back, until they hailed a taxi and were on their way.

He then turned to her and asked, "How dangerous are their powers, really? And does the reader know were here?"

Tyra waited a few moments before replying, turning away and looking out the window, pursing her lips.

She then replied without turning, "They got a read on Alicia when they arrived. I don't believe it was a full read, due to his judgment in her powers but... It doesn't matter, they don't know who we are and they only got a read on one of us. We can take them and we only need Kate, so if push comes to shove we can kill them. After all, your in no danger from either of them with your training, and have no powers to steal."

Carson looked out the front of the vehicle and waited before replying, "Fine, but if things go sour, run, I can't afford to lose you and your in the most danger out of the two of us."
Tyra paused for a moment, thinking, then nodded.

He stopped the taxi a few miles away from their destination. A precaution, so that they could hike there by foot and not give away their arrival by the car noise. Carson and Tyra started to hike up the road; Tyra was just a few feet ahead of him so she could sense the minds of anyone near by. As Tyra rounded a corner all of a sudden she slumped and fell forwards hitting the ground.

"Tyra!" Carson yelled, but before he could move towards her, Melena stepped out from behind the corner.

"Hi lover, long time no see," he turned to run but before he had fully spun around, everything went black...

***

He woke up battered and bruised in a dark room. His hands were tied behind his back and he had to use his strength just to lift up his head. When he did he shook his head in despair and confusion, then whispered softly, "Mother...?"

"Yes, my son. I'm glad to see your awake, even though we will have to knock you out again soon, the ritual is about to begin." Carson's mother said as she entered the doorway, revealing herself fully, in the light.

Carson looked at her, confused. Her entire body was covered in a black robe, with a hood covering her face, so you couldn't see even her eyes. Darkness seemed to cling to the robe, not willing to release its embrace.

He took this in for a moment then asked tentatively "What ritual mother...? Why haven't I heard of this?"

His mother replied, with a laugh, somewhat muffled by her hood, "You haven't been told since I wanted it to be a surprise. This will be your time to prove yourself to me. Make sure you are a son I can be proud of. Survive this and you will emerge a new person with power beyond belief. We believe you can do this because of you heritage but... everything has its chances."

Carson could hear the smile in her voice, that vile, shark like smile of hers. He glared at her, not even trying to conceal his hate. His mother paused, apparently searching his face, or what he assumed she was doing from the direction she was facing.
Then she looked out the door way, listening, and then turned back to him, "Time for the ritual to start my son. Survive."

With that final command, she nodded at something behind him and swept out of the room. Before Carson could manage to turn he heard a whisper in his ear, then faded into the welcome darkness of his mind. The last thing he heard before going fully unconscious was, "Good luck, lover." and a woman's laughter.