Interweapon:

This story is a fictional work created for the amusement of others. If you are not the age of 18 or the legal age the law conveys, please stop reading. If you find Homosexual sex offensive, stop reading. If you do not like stories with a violent nature or images stop reading.

Again, this is a work of fiction. You have been warned.

-         Thank you Dream Janus for helping me with this. I appreciate this tremendously!

-         And thank you to my editor Hamlet2287 for being my second set of eyes!

[Side Note 1]- You'll notice how this starts off. I assure you it's the same story. Just be patient.

[Contact Info]- I always appreciate comments telling me if you like my work or not. Please e-mail criticism to my account at Aaron.Jay.W@hotmail.com or at Jouous_fruit@yahoo.com. Thank you

_ _ _ _

Chapter 4: The Queen of Cups

The moon was full and sitting in the sky, alone. It was far too early to be called night, but the sky was dark, and the sun had set hours previously. The snow covered grasslands shook in the cold. The trees swayed in the breeze, shaking the remnants of ice off their bare branches. The seedlings cried from under the snow, begging for the wood sprites to bring them warmth. Little did the seedlings know that the wood sprites were busy watching the building nearby curiously.

Three wood sprites in particular were very curious. These three crept close to the buildings front doors. "Dan'chu? What you think noise mean?" One of the sprites, the tallest and skinniest asked, looking directly at the smallest of the three, and the widest.

"Vas'tu, me does not know. Does Un'jo know?" Dan'chu, or the widest wood sprite looked at the last of the three and asked.

Un'jo responded with a shrug. "Me does not know. It hurts ears!"

Vas'tu, the tall wood sprite looked at Un'jo. "It hurts me ears too! What think it is?"

Dan'chu scratched his wood like head. "Me think it is sound of war. A sound a war between man." The three looked at each other with understanding in their eyes. They all agreed that this was a rational explanation.

A fourth wood sprite came running out from a forest behind Vas'tu, Dan'chu, and Un'jo; the sprite looked completely scared. The three sprites that were looking at the building in curiosity went up to the newly arrived sprite and started to comfort him.

"What wrong Da'anba?" Vas'tu asked while rubbing the sprites back.

Da'anba looked at the three other wood sprites with eyes of sorrow. "Seedlings has vision. Vas'tu. Un'jo. Dan'chu. You is all coming in forest."

The three wood sprites looked at each other in surprise and followed Da'anba back into their forest home, where the seedlings were still covered in snow and crying. Vas'tu, Un'jo and Dan'chu were each unspokenly, afraid of the same thing.

_

Howling was heard from the distance, as was the sound of a high pitched siren. The hallowed ground was trembling from the psychic activity pulsing throughout the air. Asa sat on his grave, unaware of the psychic energy coursing throughout the area. He sat in his opened, velvet and satin stitched interfered coffin. Asa rested his head comfortably against his own tombstone, it telling him when he was born and when he died.

For about half an hour and counting, Asa had been closing his eyes and listening to the high pitched hum of an unfamiliar buzz from the distance; it relaxed him, and he hoped that he could fall asleep; even though he knew that in the 128 years of his after life, he hadn't slept a wink; but still, he hoped.

A loud wailing from the corner of the grave yard indicated that the poltergeist returned, yet again. This annoyed Asa to no ends. "You damned ghost! Leave me be! I'm trying to sleep!" Asa screamed, knowing full well he couldn't touch the ghost.

"The seedlings have predicted the end!" the poltergeist was howling to no one in particular. "The seedlings ask for as many representatives to come and meet for a change of outcomes."

Asa looked at the ghost, raised his right hand and flicked it off. "I'm already dead! What do I care what happens to the living?"

The poltergeist took in its surroundings and saw the man in his own grave. "And I'm not?" It hovered over to Asa very quickly. "The seedlings predict the coming of the master."

Asa jumped from his grave. "This I have to see." Several other beings followed in their tracks as they made their way to the forest where the seedlings home resided.

_

The tattered clothing was getting annoying to him, and beyond that, it smelled. Very rarely did he get new clothing. Ari decided that the next person he killed was going to be his ticket to a new set of duds.

The automatic weapon swung from his arms as he strutted down the halls confidently. The last person he killed was busily enjoying an energy bar in their private office. Ari decided that the soldier didn't need the bar, or the bottle of water she possessed. He found that he was getting everything he wanted very easily.

Ari walked down the hallway with a confidence that he always had. A scientist emerged from one of the rooms ahead. "Now we're getting somewhere." Ari thought to himself, smiling a huge smile as he rushed after the scurrying man.

_

Sara, Tim and Kevin continued talking about how they were going to escape. Kevin had the complex's whole layout printed on some papers. He had to run ahead and ask Xy to take the maps out of his pockets, since Kevin's clothing was almost entirely gone by now. Both Xy and Kevin planned on this happening, so they printed out two copies of the plans, one to go to Xy and one to go to Kevin. Tim held onto the plans after the three talked about the escape plan, since Kevin, obviously, couldn't.

When the threesome was getting to the end of their meeting and they had a good idea on how they were going to escape the facility, Sara shouted, "Stop"!

Tim ran up to Xy and told him to stop the soldiers. Xy was just beginning to cheer up from the long marching that they had been doing, and being told to stop did not put him into a better mood. Tim and Xy made their way back to Sara in time to hear a new premonition.

"The Horseman of Famine hides in guise.

Be the sharp eye, the sharp mind; his is on revenge,

On the inner love."

Sara paused for a quick moment and spoke in a voice similar to a babies cry formed into words:

"We expect you in the forest,

As free people

To meet the congregation of the Hidden:

Midnight tonight.

I am Les, ask the trees;

They will lead.

When Sara finished with what she had to say, she fell to the floor, exhausted. Kevin reached down and picked up the silver haired girl and held her in his arms.

"This takes on a whole new meaning that I cannot possibly understand." Kevin looked at his companions, who were all staring open mouthed at the prone form of Sara in Kevin's big burley arms. "All I know is that someone or something was talking through her. Well, at least for that end bit. Look out for a scientist holding a gun." Kevin looked at Xy; "We need Ari alive."

_

A matching outfit of white, including a white lab coat, made Ari feel a little more clean. He felt pleased with his new wardrobe. He made sure to add his newly acquired weapons holster to the back of his coat. Of course he still held the weapon in both his outstretched arms and cautiously marched down the corridors, pointing the nozzle of his automatic weapon first around the corners.

So far, luckily, Ari hadn't drawn a huge amount of attention to himself. As far as anyone could tell, he was just another scientist, except that he was carrying a gun. Besides the gun, no one seemed to notice that he was too young to actually be among staff on the base. This suited Ari just fine; he cared much more about being alive then being dead.

The entire time Ari walked down the halls, his smile did not fail to leave his face. He knew he was brilliant, and nothing could change how he felt.

The sirens annoyed him, but it was a minor inconvenience. Ari knew that soon he would find the exit. But beyond the sirens, he ended up hearing a faint screaming. The more he walked, the louder it grew.

Ari soon realized that the screaming was more of a cry for help; that some people were being tortured or trapped. His smile grew as he decided he wanted to watch these individuals being punished.

"A good torture is hard to come by" he thought to himself as he rushed off towards the sound of the cries.

_

Xy was not happy. He was in a foul mood. Of course he had to obey what Sara had seen, but he was not at all pleased at having to spare a person's life whom he despised. Xy didn't spin nor dance; he only marched in front of his forced army, showing plainly how pissed off he was.

Just to prove how willing he was to not kill Ari, Xy decided to direct his army to not kill any scientists. This of course pissed Kevin off. Kevin ended up zapping the survivors with a thunderbolt the size of a flag pole. Realizing that Xy wasn't about to kill a single scientist, Kevin decided to join him at the front of the cavalry; where it would be easier to fight the hordes.

Kevin was just about to throw a lightning bolt at a scientist that was peeking his head around the corner of one of the far hallways, when he noticed the scientist was holding an automatic weapon. Kevin demanded for Xy to stop his army while Kevin ran to talk to Tim.

Xy knew why they were stopping and why Kevin was running back to talk to Tim, but Xy still didn't get why Ari needed to join them. Of course Sara predicted it, But why?

While Xy pondered, Kevin met up with Tim and asked him to freeze time and put the scientist ahead of them in the time freeze. Kevin brought Tim to the front of the line and showed him the man in question.

"This is going to be a little tricky, especially since he doesn't know time is frozen." Tim was frowning at Kevin's request. "I would like it better if Drew were up here, since you made it clear that Xy can't do anything against Ari, Drew can at least use the Earth he has to make a shield."

Kevin thought for a second on what Tim was asking and nodded his agreement. "I agree. I think your plan is a far more peaceful one." Kevin then looked into Tim's eyes and felt confusion. "I see your eyes are black, did you stop time already?"

"Tim smiled and giggled as he answered. "Yes and no. I stopped time for our group here. I wanted to make sure it was safe to add Ari into the null of time. I'll go back and get Drew right now, I'm sure that General West will accompany him." Tim made his way to the back of their party and gathered Drew. Sure enough, General Jonathon West followed the two boys to the front.

"So, what do you need me up here for Kevin?" Drew asked with a salute and a smile. "I was summoned up here by Tim, he didn't tell me what you needed."

Kevin laughed at Drew's antics. "Put your damn hand down! I'm not the leader of this group. None of us know who is." Kevin looked at West, Xy, Tim and Drew as he said this and all of them smiled.

"I think we all unanimously agree that you should be." Tim answered before anyone else could. Then saw the anger flash on Kevin's face and quickly added, "Well, at least until we find our way out."

For Kevin, being a leader was not his thing, but at the moment he couldn't argue; more pressing issues needed to be talked about. "Fine!" The five gathered around Kevin let out a held in breath and smiled a bigger smile. "Now we have to get to the problem at hand." Kevin looked directly at Drew. "Drew, that scientist right there, you see him?" Kevin pointed to where Ari was poking his head around the corner.

Drew saw the figure of a man dressed in white pointing a gun from around the corner up ahead. "Yeah, is that Ari?"

Kevin smiled at Drew's quick thinking. "Yes, yes it is. I want you to make an Earth shield where ever; if he does, shoot. I don't want any bullets hitting anyone, even the army Xy created." Kevin looked into Drew's eyes while telling him his order. "Tim is going to add him into the stopped time we are currently in. I want to make sure all of you know this." Kevin looked at everyone present. Then he turned to the General. "Jon, I want you to go back with Sara. Ari has a way of making people sick. You, obviously, are an important part of our survival in this place. Make sure Sara knows what's going on."

The General nodded and saluted Kevin. "Yes sir!" then he made his way to Sara, where he began to explain what was about to happen.

Kevin stared at the spot where the General once stood and mumbled to himself something on the lines of, "Damn military men! As soon as they know for sure who the current leader is they get all formal and shit!" Then Kevin snapped back to reality and gave the order. "Tim. It's time."

_

They just stopped marching! Ari couldn't believe it. He was amazed at how spectacular the spectacle was in front of him. "Xy must have done this" Ari thought to himself. "Oh how I wish to thank you!"

The only thing he did not like, currently, was when the soldiers suddenly stopped marching; they also stopped begging and pleading. Ari's wide grin quickly turned into a frown. He stepped from behind the corner he was hiding behind and stomped his way angrily towards the group of gathered figures before him.

"Why'd you stop their screaming?" Ari screamed at no one in particular. "I was enjoying the festivities!"

"Ari, they haven't stopped, you have." Tim responded to Ari's tirade.

"Then give me back my show!" Ari stomped his foot and glared at the black eyed boy who spoke to him.

"I think we have more pressing issues to discuss." Off to Tim's right, Kevin took his turn to talk to the angry Ari. "Like you joining us in our escape."

Drew watched Ari's reaction and felt disgusted. He always thought of Ari as being peaceful. The only thing that detoured Drew before from Ari was that Ari was so in love with himself, now Drew saw what everyone else saw; a twisted man who felt satisfaction in pain. Drew knew why Xy was torturing the staff here, but the look of anger on Ari's face; it made Drew loath Ari with every ounce of his being.

"Why do you want me to join you?" Ari stopped his temper tantrum and looked questioningly at Kevin. "There's always a catch... what is it?"

Kevin smiled. "No catch that I can think of. Thank Sara for your recruitment." Kevin glared and put on a look of utmost seriousness at the boy dressed in a scientists garb right in front of him. "But I do know that if you hurt anyone that is close to me, or that I tell you not to, then I will let Xy kill you."

Ari smiled an evil smile. "If Xy wanted to kill me he would have done it already, what's stopping him?"

Kevin replied with a very simple answer in a very soft tone that you knew was the end of the discussion. "Me."

Ari laughed, but didn't push any further. "Deal. What other choice do I have?" He held out his hand to shake Kevin's. Kevin grasped it and sent a small surge of electricity into the younger man's hand.

_

The moon's beams were very magical tonight. The De'snu'ki always felt the inner power on these nights. Even the woodland creatures seemed to frolic and moan in a pure exotic, erotic display that was normally frowned upon. If the De'snu'ki weren't summoned to be of service by the seedlings, then they would have joined in the ruckus of the night.

The gathering was not far, but to a creeping, slow De'snu'ki, it was a far trek. At least the snow covered ground made for a pleasant snack along the way.

Each De'snu'ki was prepared to act as required by ritual. They only hoped that ritual was not what was required; each De'snu'ki intended on surviving the night.

_

Tim's eyes changed from their pitch black back to their white with a small black pupil in the middle as time started to act as it should. The soldiers started screaming around them, Ari broke into a huge smile, and Xy glared at Ari. Everything was as it should be.

Ari and Xy stayed at the front of the line. Ari glanced around him with a look on his face of pure bliss, Xy occasionally glared at Ari in hatred.

Kevin fell back with Tim and Sara, as he did before. They began where they left off, talking about their escape plan. Tim took out the folded map from his torn pants pocket and showed it to Kevin and Sara. "Sara and I looked at this for a while when you were up front." Tim started. "From what the map says, and the other papers you printed, Rachel's room is near the base's exit." Tim looked up at Kevin; "We might have some problems freeing her though." Tim's face soured.

Kevin looked at Tim questionably. "Why? All of us had no problems escaping, so why would we have problems freeing her?"

Tim ruffled through the pages he was holding and found the one he was searching for, and handed the document to Kevin. "Take a look at this. Apparently she has succeeded in escaping her room many times. They wanted to make sure she wouldn't ever be able to again."

Kevin looked at the piece of paper that Tim gave him. It was then that Kevin realized that Xy printed more then what Kevin asked him to from the mainframe computer. Kevin was happy Xy did, and he certainly wouldn't have noticed this bit of information without both Xy's and Tim's help. "This is terrible!" Kevin began to shake with rage while reading the document in his hands. "How could they do this to a human being? This is torture!"

Sara looked at Kevin with sad, comforting eyes while reaching her hands to his back, gently soothing him. "At least she is still alive. Soon she will be free from this place, just like us." Sara looked over at Tim and mouthed for him to say something, not catching on, Sara kicked Tim hard in the shin.

"Ow!" Tim yelled. "I mean... yeah, Sara's right. Rachel will soon be free of this prison. Remember, Rachel hates pity and tears." Tim reached down and started to rub his leg, limping while walking. He started to lag behind a little.

"You're right. The sooner we free her, the sooner her pain ends." Kevin looked up from the paper and announced with a stern finality.

_

The door to Security Room B slid open once again. In stepped two more people. One of the people was a very tall and slender, beautiful girl of Asian descent, her dark black hair followed at her heels as she stepped gracefully into the security room. The next person to enter was a sickly thin young man, his short fire orange Mohawk lit up the entire room as he entered: his short demeanor was obvious when standing by the beauty that entered first. Both walked as if they owned every step they took, and both gazed into the room they entered. What they saw didn't surprise them.

"Hello my young colleagues" came a whispery voice from nowhere and everywhere, their ears and their minds were assaulted by the gentle greeting. "I am greatly pleased you chose to accept my invitation. But then again, I knew you would join me." A wheezy laugh was heard from the same source as the voice.

The girl who just recently entered was quick to respond. "Master, I am your humble servant. I would never leave you!" She bowed her whole body as she pledged her loyalty.

"I too only live to serve you, my master. I am yours to command!" The young man with the bright orange Mohawk got down on one knee and bowed deeply, touching his head slightly to the metal plated ground.

The master smiled at the loyalty shown. "Rise my most trusted servants." The two groveling figures on the floor stood back up and straightened their attire. "Now...now is the time for the three of us... Ezra." From the corner of the room Ezra stepped from the shadows, making both the newcomers open their eyes slightly larger. "Zeke, Jade; it is time for me to reclaim my kingdom, and you shall be my enforcers."

Everyone in the room was now smiling.

_

"A Shadow follows,

One becomes two.

Yet another follows unseen.

To see is not to see

But an enemy doesn't follow at arm's length.

The biting pests multiply

Two more take host.

Soon all will be forgiven."

Sara's voice grew to an unearthly tone as she spoke her newest premonition. Amazingly, she continued to walk as she foretold the future.

Kevin heard everything that Sara said but he couldn't make sense of any of it. Usually he was pretty good at deciphering her cryptic words, but this was one of those rare times that he just couldn't understand her. No one heard the premonition except Kevin and Tim, and Tim knew he wasn't that good at figuring out what she meant. Kevin decided to venture a question before Sara returned to consciousness. "Sara what do you mean?"

"The three plus one, one plus three;

Twenty-five is the only key.

The odds of six and evens of none,

Future is set to those who see.

The Queen of cups foresees your fate;

The air is frail, and time is still.

Change is to follow...

Change is to follow."

Sara's answer was more cryptic if anything in Kevin's eyes; but he knew both of her predictions were important. He did not understand what she said but Kevin knew that he would understand what she meant soon.

Kevin looked to his side to exchange a look with Tim and found Tim with the most confused look on his face. Kevin couldn't help but laugh. "Tim, sooner or later Sara will make sense. Don't fret over the meaning of her words." Kevin watched as Tim turned his head and stared into his blues eyes.

"Do you have any idea who the Queen of Cups is Kevin?" Tim asked his friend.

"No, but I'm assuming she's important." Kevin shrugged as he responded.

"She's a Tarot Card." Tim explained. "My mother, well back before I was taken away from home, told me." Tim's eyes began to tear up.

Kevin put an arm over Tim's shoulders as they walked. "It's okay. We're your new family. Maybe we can find your mom again, huh?"

Tim smiled. "I hope so." Tim wiped away the tears in his eyes and continued what he started to say. "Anyways, my mom used to read Tarot cards. She started to teach me what the cards meant. The first card she taught me was the Queen of Cups."

Kevin was intrigued. "Well, what does it mean?"

"It usually means change. Specifically a change in belief or a way of life."

@ Copyright by Aaron Jay. Do not reproduce without permission.