Trevor looked up as the small crowd approached. His eyes went wide with fear or wonder-Max couldn't tell.
"You shouldn't have come here," Trevor said.
"Now, Trevor. Mind your manners," a voice called. Max turned and saw DuPris step into the entryway of the ship. "You should make all your little friends feel welcome."
The beings of the consciousness exploded with fury and fear at the sight of DuPris. Max used all his will to keep the connection low. He needed to stay sharp, stay in control. If he let the consciousness start running the show, it could be deadly for everyone.
"Thank you for letting Michael bring my sister here," Max said, trying to keep his voice even.
He figured if DuPris was going to pretend that everything was fine, he would, too. Not that he believed DuPris's act for a second. Max knew that DuPris was like a cat-he liked to play with his victims a little while before he killed them. Which was more than fine with Max. It would give him some time, hopefully enough time to get Isabel safely through her akino and get them all out of there.
Max strode over to Trevor and roughly pushed him aside, then took his place kneeling next to Isabel.
"What the hell were you thinking, Michael?" he said, eyeing his friend. "Can't you see she's almost dead?"
He pulled the communication crystals out of his pocket and placed them in Isabel's fingers.
"Make the connection, Izzy," he urged.
"You've got to do it, Isabel," he heard Maria call from behind him. "We love you. It's the only way you can stay with us."
Michael grabbed for the crystals, but Max was too quick. He locked his hand around Michael's wrist, stopping him.
"You're wrong, Max." Trevor circled around Isabel and crouched next to Michael. "She's almost reached her crisis. In just a few moments she'll make the turn. She's going to be fine."
"You don't know that," Alex said, joining the little circle.
"You've given us no reason to trust you," Max said, daring Trevor to contradict him. He shot a glance at the ship. DuPris was still in the doorway, an amused smile on his lips.
Liz knelt next to Isabel and touched her forehead gently. "Isabel, please, make the connection," she urged.
"Don't do it, Izzy," Michael countered. "Stay strong."
Isabel opened her eyes. She slowly turned her head until she was looking right at Max. She opened her lips, and a croaking sound came out. Max's heart practically broke wide open.
"I can't understand you," Max said in a near whimper. Looking at his sister's ravaged face was almost unbearable, but Max would not turn his gaze away. He leaned closer. "Tell me, Isabel."
"No!" she screeched, piercing Max's eardrum as her voice cracked. She flung the crystals across the room with a strength he never would have believed she had. Her breath came in tortured gasps, but she managed to speak again. "No, Max."
At that moment Max's body was sliced with pain. He let out a howl as it ripped and seared through his body. He could feel his blood vessels bursting, pumping blood into his body cavity. A horrible, wet, swishing sound filled his ears, and he could feel liquid draining through his ear canal.
"What's happening?" Liz yelled. Max turned toward her, but all he could see was a dim shape. Blood from the veins in his eyes clouded his vision.
Images from the consciousness filled his brain. First an image of himself in agony. Then an image of Isabel holding the crystals, making the connection. Then an image of himself smiling, clearly no longer in pain.
As soon as the message ended, Max could feel his veins close back up. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, and his vision cleared a little.
"Max, you've got to tell us what's happening," Alex demanded, grasping his shoulder.
"The consciousness-" Max spat, tasting blood in his mouth. "The consciousness wants Isabel to make the connection. If she doesn't-"
Max felt dozens of holes open up in his stomach. Hot acid rushed out. He fell onto his side and curled his knees to his chest as if that could somehow protect him from the pain.
"I'll try to heal him," Adam told Liz, rushing over to Max's side.
"I wouldn't do that," DuPris advised calmly over Max's wails of agony. "If you connect to him, the consciousness will be able to use you for motivation, too." He slowly walked toward them, the usual smug smile on his lips.
"Adam, wait," Liz instructed, holding out a hand. "Motivation? What are you talking about? Do you know what's going on here?" she demanded.
DuPris turned his gaze on her, his cold green eyes sending a shiver down her spine. Liz forced herself to keep looking at him. She knew DuPris enjoyed getting a reaction, and she was determined not to give him one. Alex, Adam, and Maria moved into a tight knot around her, joining Liz in the face-off.
"Isn't it clear?" DuPris said. "Your friend over there is being tortured by the consciousness."
"But he's part of the consciousness," Maria protested.
"Oh, little bunny. So innocent," DuPris said. He reached out and tugged on one of Maria's curls. Maria didn't flinch.
Good for you, Liz thought. She found Maria's hand and gave it a squeeze.
"The consciousness cares nothing for the individuals who form it," DuPris continued with a quick shake of his head. "It benefits the consciousness if Isabel joins it. If it has to torture Max over there to get the result it wants, so be it."
"What are we supposed to do?" Maria cried, looking down at Max, who was choked with pain. Liz felt like she could feel everything he was going through in her own body. She needed to make his pain stop. Now.
"Listen to him," Trevor called from Isabel's side. "The consciousness is evil."
"Let me illustrate," DuPris said. "Say I'm the consciousness, and he is one of the unfortunate ones who have made the connection." DuPris nodded toward Adam. "If his death benefits me, I simply-"
DuPris whipped the Stone out of his pocket and aimed it at Adam, and before Liz could move, before she could scream, a laser of purple-green light speared out of the Stone and into Adam's chest.
He crumpled to the floor like a wet rag. Liz felt a cry well up in her throat, but it just stayed there, choking her, bringing tears to her eyes. She dropped down beside Adam and rolled him onto his back. A perfectly round hole went all the way through his body. Through his heart.
"You killed him!" Liz screamed. She wrapped Adam tightly in her arms and pulled him to her chest. "Oh, God, you killed him."
DuPris smiled and shrugged nonchalantly. "Just proving my point."
FOURTEEN
Trevor would not let himself look at Adam. If he did, he knew the revulsion, horror, and hatred churning through him would show on his face. And he didn't want DuPris to know what he was feeling.
"You see? The leader is right," he shouted. "The consciousness cares nothing for the individual."
"The leader is right?" Michael repeated, disgust coating his words. There were tears in Michaels eyes as he looked at Adam, but he never left Isabel's side. "I can't believe this is happening," he said.
Trevor leaned across Isabel, bringing his face as close to Michael's as he could. "Listen to me," he whispered. "I'm taking DuPris down. But I need your help."
Michael's face was all skepticism until he looked into Trevor's eyes. He must have read the determination there because seconds later his expression shifted.
"You got it," Michael said.
"Good. Let's start by slamming him with the ship." Trevor grabbed Michael by the wrist. The connection was almost instantaneous-a brother thing.
Trevor kept one eye on DuPris as he and Michael began building a power ball between them. The leader was clearly enjoying the reactions he'd gotten from Liz, Alex, and Maria. He wasn't paying any attention to Trevor and Michael.